Perspectives on supporting fathers affected by postnatal depression and a history of violence

Abstract

Abstract:Intimate partner violence during the perinatal period is a significant public health problem that remains under-screened, under-diagnosed and under-treated. The establishment of evidence based guidelines to aid Health Visitors in providing provide support for couples experiencing violence has been hampered by the complex interplay between maternal and paternal mental health problems and violence.Our study explored the experiences of UK fathers voluntarily engaged with services designed to redeem their ideation to violence.The findings indicate that a tendency to violence was increased by stresses associated with the transition to parenthood. Men felt pressured by concerns for their partners' mental health, changes to their relationship with the mother, sleep disturbances and the burden of infant care they assumed when the mother could no longer cope.Health Visitors are ideally situated to assess for factors linked to the emergence of violence and pre-empt the support needed to minimise its occurrence.