RE: Supporting women who develop postnatal mental illness: What support do fathers receive to support their partner and their own mental health?

Abstract

Recent interest has been shown regarding support provided for maternal postnatal mental illness. Fathers appear to play an important role within this support, however many feel alienated within maternal services. The current qualitative study aimed to investigate fathers’ experience of support provided to fathers, to help support their partner through postnatal mental illness. Twenty-five fathers participated in an online questionnaire regarding their experience of their partner’s mental illness and the support provided to fathers. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: ‘Support received to help support their partner’, ‘Support fathers wanted that was not received’ and ‘Father’s mental health’. These themes, and subsequent sub-themes, are discussed, highlighting an overall lack of support for many fathers, despite many wanting support on how to help their partner, and information on their own mental health and the services available. Fathers specifically wanted healthcare professionals to sign-post them to someone they can talk to for emotional support, and to be taught coping strategies which would help them to support both their partner and baby. The implications for these findings will also be explored, especially in light of the need to inform mental health support services.