Examining the Relationship between Paternal Mental Health and Informal Support Networks: Reflections on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Paternal mental health remains an under-researched area in the UK. Consequently, father-focused formal and informal support provisions fail to address the complex emotional and psychological wellbeing needs of fathers. Drawing on data from twenty semi-structured interviews with fathers in the York area, this study seeks to better understand how access to and participation in informal support networks is influenced by gendered perceptions and the impact hegemonic perceptions of masculinity have on fathers’ access to support prior and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings demonstrate that fathers internalise stereotypical masculine tropes, such as stoicism, which prevent them from actively seeking support. While fathers value informal support network, they generally struggle to engage in mental health talks. The COVID-19 lockdown exacerbated fathers’ struggles to access informal support or prioritise their mental health. Fathers felt the pandemic presented a unique challenge that only people that became parents at the time understood. This meant that fathers could not rely on their parents or other parents who did not have similar experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims at challenging structural and cultural barriers that inhibit fathers’ participation in informal support networks, and to promote more meaningful, supportive engagement with peer groups.

Paternal Leave Entitlement and Workplace Culture: A Key Challenge to Paternal Mental Health

“…Fathers that were on the furlough scheme had much more time with their family compared to fathers that still had to work from home. While the pandemic presented different challenges, such as the inability to access informal support [ 63 ], fathers felt that they did not have to navigate the challenge of negotiating the transition to work. Working from home offered a reason for fathers to be at home and not have to feel guilty or navigate gender and masculine perceptions.…”

“…The COVID-19 lockdown created an opportunity for fathers to be physically present at home, which resulted in more engagement in family activities [ 62 ]. There was a positive increase in shared parenting responsibilities, although lack of access to informal support proved challenging and impacted on fathers’ mental health [ 63 ]. While it has been demonstrated that the COVID-19 lockdown had a negative impact on paternal experience and father–baby bonding as a result of fathers being excluded from maternity care, it is essential to explore fathers’ experiences of leave entitlement post-birth [ 64 ].…”

Self-Reported Anxiety and Depression among Parents of Primary School Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand, 2022

“…Therefore, it is expected that the proportion of females would be higher than that of males. However, evidence from the UK suggests that fathers expressed masculinity traits that prevent them from seeking help for their mental health problems during COVID-19 [30]. The COVID-19 lockdown could be a barrier for them to find informal support for their mental health as they thought that other non-parent people with different experiences would not understand the hardship during this crisis.…”

The impact of inaccessibility to information and support on paternal mental health

“…The lack of information leaves fathers internalizing the notions of stoicism and emotional detachment, making them less likely to seek support for their challenges or mental health [56]. Cultural perceptions that perinatal mental health services are predominantly focused on maternal mental health [44], coupled with the absence of inclusive healthcare practices [38], instil in fathers the belief that they need to demonstrate strength, suppress emotions, and concentrate on supporting the mother.…”

“…Nevertheless, men tend to internalise hegemonic masculine ideals and are predisposed to suppressing their mental health challenges, as opposed to actively seeking support [36]. Consequently, individuals who internalise notions of stoicism and emotional detachment are more inclined to eschew addressing their mental health issues due to apprehensions about negative perceptions from friends and family [56].…”