Depressive Symptoms and Father Involvement in Canada: Evidence from a National Study

Abstract

Paternal involvement in instrumental and emotional parenting behaviours benefits families and children. While fathers have become more involved in childrearing over the past several decades, significant variability in paternal involvement with children remains. Yet, little work has focused on the facilitators and barriers to involved fathering and work in the Canadian context is particularly sparse. This study focuses on one potentially important factor, depressive symptoms, and its relationship with multiple dimensions of father involvement among Canadian men. Using national quantitative data from the Survey of Canadian Fathers‐Enquête des Pères Canadiens (n = 2,099) and ordinary least squares regression models, we focus on the relationship between depressive symptoms and six measures of fathering behavior. Results indicate that depression is significantly associated with most behaviours, but these results diverge from studies in other countries and contexts. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of context‐specific studies on parenting and the need for additional work on fathering and mental health in Canada.

Retracted: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Psychological Distress, and Fathering Behaviors

“…Relatedly, some research shows that depressive symptoms have little to no relationship with behaviors commonly undertaken by fathers, like monitoring and discipline (Salari et al, 2014;Shafer et al, 2017;Shafer & Renick, 2020). Thus, there is good reason to expect that ACEs and psychological distress will be negatively associated with expressive fathering behaviors and those instrumental parenting behaviors, like caregiving, that tend to be considered primarily maternal responsibilities.…”

“…Among mothers, for example, childhood adversity has small to no effects on caregiving and instrumental parenting behaviors most strongly associated with culturally‐defined maternal responsibilities (Khan & Renk, 2019; Kolomeyer et al, 2016). Relatedly, some research shows that depressive symptoms have little to no relationship with behaviors commonly undertaken by fathers, like monitoring and discipline (Salari et al, 2014; Shafer et al, 2017; Shafer & Renick, 2020). Thus, there is good reason to expect that ACEs and psychological distress will be negatively associated with expressive fathering behaviors and those instrumental parenting behaviors, like caregiving, that tend to be considered primarily maternal responsibilities.…”

COVID‐19 and the relationships and involvement of nonresident fathers

“…Although several studies have demonstrated associations between mental health and parenting for mothers (e.g., Dietz et al, 2009 ; Letourneau et al, 2010 ; Schellinger et al, 2012 ), there is a relative dearth of work that examines similar associations for fathers. Studies have noted that depressed fathers tend to be less strongly bonded to their children (Dudley et al, 2001 ), have lower ratings of father–child relationship quality, and exhibit less warmth and expressive parenting and more harsh parenting (Shafer & Renick, 2020 ; Trahan & Shafer, 2019 ). Trahan and Shafer ( 2019 ) also found that self‐efficacy moderated the association between fathers' depression and paternal warmth (but not harsh parenting), indicating that self‐efficacy might serve as at least a partial buffer for children with depressed fathers, but its impacts on relationship quality or involvement remain unstudied.…”

Antecedent of Father Involvement: A Literature Review

“…Variables related to the father's mental health, including levels of depression and stress, also have a negative effect on father involvement (Cole et al, 2020;Shafer & Renick, 2020;Baker, 2014;Paulson et al, 2011;Coley & Hernandez, 2006). However, research conducted by Planalp & Braungart-Rieker (2016) found that depression does not affect father involvement.…”