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Description
Postpartum depression and the effects it has on women have long been well studied and documented, however, little research has been done on how this illness affects these women’s partners. Considering the significant amount of research conducted on postpartum depression (PPD) from the perspective of women and the increasing trend towards family-oriented approaches, it is vital to further undertake studies concentrating on the male perspective of coping with a partner who has PPD. This in turn opens a new and important area of research for the clinical psychology community. This research proposal aims to focus on fathers’ coping styles when living with a partner suffering from postpartum depression as well as how it may influence/alter relationship satisfaction. This research proposal would include a mixed-method research design using both semi-structured, face-to-face interviews conducted individually and surveys. The sample size would include 20 couples, 10 fathers, and 10 mothers currently experiencing postpartum depression. Couples would be voluntarily recruited through a flier at their pediatricians’ offices. Inclusion criteria would include all participants being over the age of 18, having a partner with clinically diagnosed postpartum depression, living together with said partner, and being at least 2 months postpartum. The results from this study have not yet been collected but are presumed to reveal multiple themes describing the fathers’ journey through their partners’ postpartum depression. These findings would not only highlight a need for pre-emptive education on maternal PPD and more accessible resources but also assessing fathers’ emotional responses to parenthood and their partners’ depression.
Department
Nursing
Publication Date
2023
Sponsorship/Conference/Institution
The Scholarly and Creative Works Conference, Dominican University of California
City
San Rafael, CA
Keywords
Postpartum depression, fathers coping with partners’ postpartum depression, coping styles of fathers, relationship satisfaction
Disciplines
Family Practice Nursing | Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing | Nursing | Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
Included in
Family Practice Nursing Commons, Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Commons