Association of adolescent and young adult depression and anxiety with perinatal mental health in fathers: Findings from an Australian longitudinal study

Nele Lowrie; Genevieve Le Bas; George Youssef; Jacqui A Macdonald; Samantha Teague; Alana Rogers; Matthew Sunderland; Richard Mattick; Elizabeth J Elliott; Steve Allsop; Lucinda Burns; Jake Najman; Sue Jacobs; Craig A Olsson; Delyse Hutchinson

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.017

Association of adolescent and young adult depression and anxiety with perinatal mental health in fathers: Findings from an Australian longitudinal study

J Psychiatr Res. 2022 Dec:156:206-213. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.017. Epub 2022 Oct 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia. Electronic address: nklowrie@gmail.com.
² Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia. Electronic address: g.lebas@deakin.edu.au.
³ Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's, Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: george.youssef@deakin.edu.au.
⁴ Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's, Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: jacqui.macdonald@deakin.edu.au.
⁵ Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia; James Cook University, Department of Psychology, College of Healthcare Sciences, Townsville, Australia. Electronic address: sam.teague@jcu.edu.au.
⁶ Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia. Electronic address: amro@deakin.edu.au.
⁷ The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: matthew.sunderland@sydney.edu.au.
⁸ National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: r.mattick@unsw.edu.au.
⁹ Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: elizabeth.elliott@health.nsw.gov.au.
¹⁰ National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. Electronic address: s.allsop@curtin.edu.au.
¹¹ National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: l.burns@unsw.edu.au.
¹² School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: j.najman@sph.uq.edu.au.
¹³ Department of Obstetrics, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: sue@suejacobs.com.au.
¹⁴ Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's, Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: craig.olsson@rch.org.au.
¹⁵ Deakin University, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Geelong, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's, Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: delyse.hutchinson@deakin.edu.au.

PMID: 36265257
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.017

Abstract

The current study examined associations between preconception diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders in adolescence and young adulthood and perinatal depression and anxiety symptoms in early fatherhood. In an Australian community cohort study of health and development, earlier history of MDD and anxiety disorders (extending back to adolescence) were assessed retrospectively in the third trimester of pregnancy via the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Paternal perinatal depression and anxiety were then assessed prospectively over three timepoints (third trimester of pregnancy, 8 weeks and 12 months postpartum), using established cut-points on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (anxiety subscale). Mixed-effects regression models examined risk associations between preconception diagnoses of MDD and anxiety disorders, and perinatal depression and anxiety symptoms at each timepoint, adjusting for socio-demographic factors and concurrent maternal mental health difficulties. The odds of clinically concerning levels of paternal perinatal depression and anxiety were 6-fold and 4-fold higher, respectively, in men with a preconception history of MDD. The odds of perinatal depression were 3-fold higher in men with a preconception history of an anxiety disorder. Less evidence was found for an association between preconception diagnoses of an anxiety disorder and perinatal anxiety in fathers. Interventions aimed at improving mental health in men during adolescence and young adulthood may promote continued psychological health in men during early fatherhood.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Longitudinal; Paternal; Perinatal; Postnatal.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
Australia / epidemiology
Cohort Studies
Depressive Disorder, Major* / epidemiology
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Mental Health*
Retrospective Studies
Young Adult