Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified that new fathers are more prone to depressive symptoms when there is disagreement about parenting or when they are not actively involved in day-to-day parenting tasks. The findings appear in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
The study recruited 429 fathers of children younger than two years old in Sweden through social media. Participants completed assessments that measured depressive symptoms and evaluated the co-parenting relationship from the perspective of parenting collaboration rather than romantic partnership.
A co-parenting relationship centers on the child and the practical aspects of raising them. Strong co-parenting is marked by shared educational goals, mutual support for each other’s parenting efforts, and an equitable distribution of responsibilities related to the child’s upbringing.
During the research, roughly one in five fathers reported depressive symptoms at some point. Among those experiencing very weak cooperation with the other parent, about two out of three showed depressive symptoms within the child’s first year. Conversely, a positive, well-coordinated co-parenting dynamic was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in fathers. Researchers note that these two factors influence each other in both directions, creating a feedback loop that can either exacerbate or alleviate distress depending on the quality of the parenting partnership.
In Sweden, participants were already part of a broader clinical monitoring framework that screens for paternal depression a few months after birth. The current findings suggest that screening is just one component of a broader prevention strategy. The researchers advocate for ongoing evaluation and support services for new parents to identify early signs of depression and to provide timely guidance and resources that address the practical and emotional demands of early parenting.
The implications extend beyond individual well-being. When fathers receive appropriate attention and support, families may experience improved co-parenting alignment, which in turn supports healthier mental health for both parents and a more stable environment for the child. The study contributes to a growing understanding of how parenting dynamics shape parental mental health and underscores the importance of integrating mental health screening with parenting support programs in national health systems. Attribution: Karolinska Institutet researchers publishing in the Journal of Affective Disorders confirm these observations and emphasize the need for proactive, system-wide approaches to support new families.