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Opportunities and Risks of Gender-Stereotypical Approach to Men in the Context of Education and Counselling Work Using the Example of Birth Preparation for Expectant Fathers At first glance, it seems absurd that families or mothers and fathers become addressees of social work when they decide to have a child. But the legislator has also formulated it: "Mothers and fathers as well as pregnant women and expectant fathers should be offered advice and help in questions of partnership and the development of parental parenting and relationship skills" (§16 paragraph 3 SGB VIII). One can argue that this makes sense, especially in complex and challenging times. Fathers in particular are confronted with an increasing ambivalence between caring father and providing breadwinner. Against the background of crisis-ridden conditions, this ambivalence can be perceived as strenuous living conditions, so that the addressing of social work is justified. Gender-homogeneous psychosocial services for fathersto- be make counselling and educational processes in the sense of helping them to help themselves be used by the addressees. In this article, the gender-stereotypical addressing of men in the context of education and counselling services is presented and discussed using the example of gender-homogeneous birth preparation courses for expectant fathers, on the basis of empirical findings.

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The aim of this mixed-method study was to identify support needs, as well as barriers and facilitators to seeking support in a sample of Swedish fathers with a fear of childbirth (FOC). Participants completed an anonymous quantitative online survey (N = 131), with three free-text items for those self-identifying as having an FOC (N = 71) and five individual in-depth interviews. Data analysis included descriptive and chi-square analyses for quantitative data, and manifest content analysis for qualitative data. Those with a severe FOC were more likely to report having on-going mental health difficulties (p = .039) and one fifth (21%) of the participants with severe FOC wanted to receive professional treatment, but only 8.1% received treatment. Most participants either preferred individual support or to receive support together with their partner. Fathers with severe FOC were more likely to report one or more barriers than those without FOC (p = .005), where unwanted social stigma was the single largest barrier. Qualitative findings identified one main category: Expectant fathers missing and wishing for support for FOC composed four generic categories: (1) support in developing an understanding of their fear, (2) coping by being aware of feelings, (3) professional support through trust and respect, and (4) needing individualized support. To encourage healthy fathers, clinical professionals should find ways to support fathers, such as by providing them with their own perinatal appointments, asking them about their feelings, as well as screening, diagnosing, and treating fathers with severe FOC.

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Despite epidemiologic studies demonstrating the increased incidence of paternal postpartum depression, their emotional health is overlooked throughout their partner's pregnancy and postpartum period as postpartum depression has been traditionally construed as a disease of women. Traditional masculinity norms also result in a lack of recognition and barriers to the treatment of depression in men. This study is aimed to determine the prevalence and factors of paternal postpartum depression among fathers whose wives gave birth. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 7 to 17, 2023. The 288 sample size was estimated using a single population proportion formula and selected by random sampling technique. The data were exported from Kobo Toolbox and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Candidate variables were identified in bivariate at p < .25 for the multivariate analysis. A p < .05 and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were used to determine the significance. A total of 280 partners participated making a 97.22% response rate. Paternal postpartum depression was 19.6%(95% confidence interval [CI] = [15.4%, 24.3%]). It was significantly associated with history of depression (AOR = 4.4, 95% CI = [1.7, 10.9]), unplanned pregnancy (AOR = 4.7, 95% CI = [1.9, 11.3]), alcohol consumption (AOR: 3.0, 95% CI = [1.3, 7.4]), infant sleeping problem (AOR: 3.0, 95% CI = [1.1, 8.9]), and mode of delivery (AOR: 3.0, 95% CI = [1.3, 7.6]). This study concluded that paternal postpartum depression was high. The researchers recommended the inclusion of men's mental health services like screening into women's postnatal health care.

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Although newborn intensive care (NICU) research highlights the mental health and support needs of parents, a majority of the research and interventions focus on the needs of the mother. Engaging and partnering with male caregivers (like female caregivers) in the care of their NICU infants yields positive health outcomes for the infant and better mental health outcomes for the father. Yet there are few articles about male NICU caregiving experiences, and scant articles exploring the mental health and support needs of Black NICU fathers. Utilizing two case studies of Black fathers, this paper will identify their mental health needs. This article will outline and integrate the Recommendation for Psychosocial Support of NICU Families and existing literature to these case studies. Based on their unique needs, NICU providers must do more to engage Black fathers and explore alternative models of care that are culturally aware for psychosocial support.

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INTRODUCTION: Men's participation is imperative for improving antenatal care (ANC) access and mother and child health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Research looking at improving men's participation in ANC often focuses on their instrumental and psychosocial roles and on biomedical ANC systems. There is limited understanding of how context-specific cultural experiences of fatherhood influence men's participation in ANC within broader communal support networks and across different ANC systems in SSA. Against this background, and to understand how local communities in SSA conceive men's participation in ANC, a scoping review will be undertaken to synthesise existing literature around local cultural experiences of fatherhood and men's participation in ANC in rural settings in SSA. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The classical scoping review methodology developed by Arksey and O'Malley will be used to conduct the scoping review described above. Empirical studies published between 1 January 2000 and 31 August 2024 will be systematically searched for in key online databases (eg, PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, African Index Medicus, African Journals Online) and grey literature (eg, reports from key organisations like UNICEF and the WHO). Literature reviews, personal opinion articles and theoretical or conceptual articles that do not systematically analyse data, and non-English texts, will be excluded. Data will be extracted from the included texts in the form of study characteristics, which will be analysed using descriptive statistics, and key issues to be analysed thematically. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approvals are needed for this scoping review since data will be abstracted from already-published literature and no additional data will be collected. The findings will be shared with policymakers, practitioners, researchers, students and local communities through peer-reviewed journal publication(s), conference presentations, public lectures and policy-focused stakeholder and community meetings in and outside SSA.

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BACKGROUND: Although maternal childhood maltreatment has been associated with offspring externalizing symptoms, little is known about the potential mechanisms that contribute to breaking the intergenerational effect of maternal childhood maltreatment. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to (a) investigate the intergenerational effect between maternal childhood maltreatment and offspring externalizing symptoms in the Chinese family; (b) examine maternal supportive and harsh parenting as potential mediators of this intergenerational effect; and (c) explore the moderating roles of paternal support parenting, as well as paternal harsh parenting, in this mediation process of maternal supportive and harsh parenting. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The sample consisted of 1111 mother-father-child triads from Beijing, recruited when the children were one and three years old. METHODS: Mothers completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and both parents completed the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment and Comprehensive Early Childhood Parenting Scale. RESULTS: Our results showed that maternal childhood maltreatment was a risk factor for offspring externalizing symptoms at T2 (ß = 0.24, t = 6.51, p < .001), and this effect was mediated by maternal supportive (indirect effect = 0.03, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.05]) and harsh parenting (indirect effect = 0.03, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.07]) at T1. Furthermore, paternal harsh parenting moderated the indirect effect of maternal childhood maltreatment on child externalizing symptoms through maternal supportive parenting. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to our understanding and provide valuable information for disrupting the intergenerational effect of maternal childhood maltreatment.

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Parental feeding practices and behaviours are closely related to a number of child outcomes, including eating behaviour and health. The Toddler Feeding Style Questionnaire (TFSQ) was developed to provide an accurate instrument for evaluating parental feeding practices for toddlers by assessing two dimensions: responsiveness and demandingness. As the initial validation study was conducted in a sample of mothers only, the aims of this study are: a) to validate the TFSQ in fathers, b) to analyse its measurement invariance as a function of gender and parenting experience and c) to explore associations between socio-demographic variables and both dimensions. The TFSQ was completed by 377 fathers and 583 mothers. CFA confirmed the two-factor structure within the same items as the initial validation study, with good model fit indices (X2 = 230.089; TLI = 0.883; CFI = 0.91; RMSEA = 0.08 (90% CI 0.068-0.092), SRMR = 0.070). Strict invariance measurement in terms of gender and parenting experience was achieved. Overall, fathers scored higher than mothers on demandingness, regardless of their parenting experience. Primiparous mothers scored higher than multiparous mothers and primiparous fathers on the responsiveness dimension. However, there were no gender-based differences on this dimension for parents with more than one child. These results confirm that the TFSQ is an adequate and validated instrument for assessing parenting dimensions, as it performs equally well for mothers and fathers, regardless of their parenting experience. There is also support for the notion that parental attitudes to feeding may be related to their socio-economic background.

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Provision of healthy lifestyle support for fathers can improve the lifestyles and health awareness of not only fathers but also their children and families. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of education targeting healthy fathers provided via social media. Hence, we aimed to clarify the effects of providing fathers with information on healthy lifestyle habits via social media on their awareness and behaviours regarding diet, physical activity, and healthcare, in addition to such a programme's indirect effects on their children. This randomised controlled trial included 73 fathers of primary school children in Japan. The intervention group received information on 'healthy lifestyle', 'lifestyle-related diseases', 'healthy diet', and 'healthy physical activity' via social media six times every 2 weeks. Data were collected before, 3 months after, and 4 months after the intervention. The intervention was effective in improving some awareness regarding diet, physical activity, and healthcare. In addition, the fathers in the intervention group demonstrated significantly improved interest in their child's diet and exercise habits. Social-media-based diet and physical activity programmes for fathers improved their awareness and behaviour. Therefore, social-media-based health education programmes can be an important tool for increasing fathers' interest in their own health and in their children's lifestyles.

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This study aims to gain more insight in the lived experience of men who became father at an advanced age (40 years or older). Advanced Parental Age (APA) is becoming an increasingly widespread phenomenon as the average age at which people have children has been increasing for decades now. However, the psychosocial dimension of APA-fatherhood in particular remains a highly understudied topic. This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis presents findings from a qualitative interview study with seven men who fathered their (now teenage) children in their early 40s to early 50s. Interviews were semi-structured and focused on lived experiences of the participants and their normative stances regarding the topic of parenting at an advanced age. Three themes were identified: The fathers in our sample describe their APA as a result of life events rather than an intentional postponement. Second, they managed how they were perceived as APA-fathers by distancing themselves from 'too old' parents. However, these fathers did not perceive fatherhood at a younger age as better than their current APA. Three fathers, who also had an earlier fatherhood experience, provided a rich account of how they made sense of their fatherhood roles in both families. Third, the seven fathers encountered social stigma, leading to various coping strategies. These findings contribute to better understanding the psychosocial dimension of APA-fatherhood.

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An overrepresentation of stepchildren as victims of filicide has been explained as a consequence of 'discriminative parental solicitude'. The idea being that Darwinian selection has favoured parental love and concern only for biological children, and when such parental feelings are absent, as in stepparents, conflicts with a child could easier escalate to lethal violence. An alternative explanation for this overrepresentation of stepchildren is that risk factors for filicide, such as criminal behaviour and mental health problems, are more prevalent in stepparents. This study focused on paternal filicide in Sweden and investigated (i) if stepchildren are overrepresented as victims of filicide compared with biological children, (ii) if filicides are committed in a context that implies a 'conflict with the child victim' and (iii) if stepfathers and biological fathers differ in characteristics associated with filicide risk. The analyses showed that stepchildren were overrepresented as victims compared with children of fathers in families with two biological parents and this overrepresentation was even higher in young children. Children of single biological fathers and children of non-residential biological fathers were also overrepresented as victims of filicide. Less than 20 percent of the filicides were committed in the context of a 'conflict with the child' and in these cases only stepchildren were overrepresented as victims. In the population at large, both stepfathers and single biological fathers had higher rates of mental health problems, violent criminality and illegal possession of drugs compared with fathers in families with two biological parents.

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The objective of this scoping review was to map the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the paternal parenting experience. Studies published between January 2020 and October 2021 reporting on paternal mental health, interparental relations, and child interactions were eligible. Forty studies from 17 different countries were included. Most studies included data from both mothers and fathers (83%); five studies reported data from fathers only, and three examined same-sex partners. Most commonly reported outcomes included division of childcare activities (n = 14), delegation of household tasks (n = 10), depression (n = 12), and stress (n = 9). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fathers varied globally with no clear trends except for the division of childcare and household tasks, in which fathers increased their contribution to childcare and household tasks yet mothers continued to experience a higher domestic burden. Further research is recommended to advance our understanding of how fathers coped during the COVID-19 pandemic and document the long-term impact of the pandemic on families.

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A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization can add significant stress to the postpartum period. Parents experience isolation and uncertainty, which can affect their capacity to bond with their new baby. Understanding how stress is shaped by and changes following a NICU experience will help in developing supports for these families. We examined patterns of parenting stress over the first year of life following a NICU stay to better understand changes in stress, differences in maternal and paternal stress, and how medical and developmental variables impact parent stress. Parents of infants (n = 51) who had experienced a NICU hospitalization and met criteria for California's High-Risk Infant Follow-Up program completed assessments at 6, 9, and 12 months. A comparison group (n = 38) from a historic dataset included parents of infants born full term without medical complications. NICU parents reported higher levels of parenting stress at 6 months, but not 12 months, with mothers and fathers reporting similar stress levels. Parenting-related stress was found to be relatively stable and consistent over this period. Among NICU parents, lower developmental level at 12 months was associated with more distress in interacting with their child. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring parenting stress following discharge from the NICU and developing interventions for supporting parents of NICU graduates showing developmental delays.

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BACKGROUND: Exposure to fathers' positive parenting has been associated reducing mental disorder symptoms during adolescence, evidence on the mechanisms underlying this association is lacking. One potential mechanism linking fathers' positive parenting and mental disorders is environmental sensitivity (ES). Here we studied whether the increased positive behaviors of both parents (1) separately, (2) relatively, (3) and jointly predict reduced depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, suicidal ideation (SI), and increased well-being in Chinese adolescents. Additionally we investigated (4) whether ES moderates these relationships. METHODS: This study involving 7010 Chinese adolescents (55.6 % girls) aged 15 to 18 from six junior high schools in Shaanxi, China was conducted at four timepoints. ES was assessed using the Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale at ages 15 and 16, parental positive behaviors using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) at ages 16 and 17, and psychopathology symptoms using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI) Inventory at ages 17 and 18. RESULTS: (1) Multilevel analyses revealed that increased positive parenting predicted reduced psychiatric disorder symptoms and improved well-being; (2) trend interaction indicated that the compensatory effect of fathers' positive parenting was stronger in alleviating mental problems in adolescents than that of mothers'; (3) Simple slope analyses suggested that both high levels of fathers' and mothers' positive parenting predicted fewer subsequent psychiatric disorder symptoms, particularly for sensitive adolescents. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited to its generalizability to the Western Chinese adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial differences in the effects of positive paternal and maternal parenting highlight the important role of fathers' positive parenting in mental development, especially for highly sensitive adolescents.

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INTRODUCTION: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses play a crucial role in providing infant care, as well as in bridging the communication gap with parents. AIM: Explore fathers' perceptions and interactions with nurses during their preterm infants' stay in a NICU. DESIGN: Qualitative study using ethnographic data collection techniques. METHODS: Twenty fathers of preterm infants were purposively sampled in a level III NICU in Italy. Data collection comprised 120 h of participant observation, 68 informal conversations, and 20 semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Analysis revealed five primary themes: (i) communication and clarity about infants' health condition and progress, (ii) inclusiveness and guidance from nurses, (iii) fathers' satisfaction with nurses' support for mother, (iv) nurses' personal attention to the babies, and (v) nurses' varied personalities. CONCLUSION: Nurses are crucial in facilitating father-infant bonding in the NICU. Although the content of nurse communication is critical for fathers, the delivery style becomes especially relevant during their infant's hospitalization. Discrepancies in messages and guidance can negatively impact fatherly confidence and their ability to care for their preterm infants and support partners. Thus, training that emphasizes the recognition of the unique ways that fathers exhibit distress is crucial. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses play a critical role in shaping the fathers' experiences in NICU. Emphasizing clear communication and individualized care is vital. To strengthen father support in NICU settings, recommended approaches include regular training, holistic care, fostering inclusivity, emotional support, and improving bonding opportunities. REPORTING METHOD: Adherence to the COREQ guidelines.

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'Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads' (HYHD) targets fathers to improve the health of their preschool-aged children. In a previous randomized trial, fathers and children experienced meaningful improvements in physical activity and eating behaviours. The next phase is to test the replicability and adaptability of HYHD when delivered in the community by trained facilitators. Fathers/father-figures and children aged 3-5 years were recruited from Newcastle, Australia into a 9-week, non-randomized trial with assessments at baseline, 10 weeks, and 12 months. The primary outcome was achievement of pre-registered targets for recruitment (≥ 96 dyads), attendance (≥ 70%), compliance (completing ≥ 70% of home-based tasks), fidelity (≥ 80% of content delivered as intended) and program satisfaction (≥ 4/5). Secondary outcomes included physical activity, nutrition, screen time and parenting measures. Process targets were surpassed for recruitment (140 fathers, 141 children), attendance (79% for fathers-only workshops, 81% for father-child sessions), compliance (80% of home-tasks completed), fidelity (99% for education, ≥ 97% for practical) and program satisfaction (4.8/5). Mixed effects regression models revealed significant effects in fathers for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, co-physical activity, dietary intake and parenting practises, which were maintained at 12 months. Significant effects were also established for screen time at 10 weeks only. For children, significant effects were observed for screen time and dietary intake at 10 weeks, while effects on energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and healthy, nutrient-dense core food intake were maintained at 12 months. Findings demonstrate the replicability and adaptability of HYHD when delivered in the community by local trained facilitators. Further investigation into how to optimally scale-up HYHD is warranted.

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Learning words for numbers, shapes, spatial relations, and magnitudes-"math talk"-relies on input from caregivers. Language interactions between caregivers and children are situated in activity contexts and likely affected by available materials. Here, we examined how play materials influence the math talk directed to and produced by young children. We video-recorded parents (mothers and fathers; English- and/or Spanish-speaking) and their 24- to 36-month-olds during play with four sets of materials, transcribed and coded types of parent and toddler math words/phrases, and assessed toddlers' understanding of number, shape, and spatial relations terms. Categories of math words varied by materials. Numeracy talk (e.g., "one," "two," "first," "second") was more frequent during interactions with a picture book and toy grocery shopping set than with a shape sorter or magnet board; the reverse held for spatial talk (e.g., "out," "bottom," "up," "circle"). Parent math talk predicted toddler math talk, and both parent and toddler math talk predicted toddlers' understanding of spatial and number words. Different materials provide unique opportunities for toddlers to learn abstract math words during interactions with caregivers, and such interactions support early math cognition.

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BACKGROUND: The arrival of one's first child is a known risk factor for mental illness, yet investigations on fathers' mental health are limited. We conducted a longitudinal investigation on paternal depression and anxiety in the nine years surrounding the transition to fatherhood. METHODS: Using a national cohort of French men (CONSTANCES, n = 6299), we investigated the prevalence and associated risk factors of mental illness amongst first-time fathers. Responses to the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) scales were used to identify clinically significant symptom scores. Self-declared mental illness was also reported by participants. Group-based modelling was used to identify latent trajectory groups for both measures. RESULTS: Levels of self-declared anxiety (averaging 4.9 % pre-fatherhood, 7.8 % post) exceeded that of depression (1.9 % pre- fatherhood, 3.3 % post) or other disorders. However, rates of clinically significant symptom scores (17-27 %) were consistently higher. Participants' mental health appeared to worsen from two-years prior to their child's arrival and improve from two-years after. We identified three trajectory groups for fathers' self-declared mental illness: Low stable (90.3 %); Low risk with high temporary increase (5.6 %); and Consistent high risk (4.1 %). Risk factors associated with worsening mental health trajectories were unemployment, not living with one's partner, having had adverse childhood experiences and foregoing healthcare due to financial reasons. LIMITATIONS: All measures of mental illness relied on participant self-reports and are thus subject to bias. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals an important period of heightened psychological vulnerability amongst first-time fathers, emphasising the need for increased and better adapted paternal mental health screening.

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BACKGROUND: The first agent of socialisation is the family, who are expected to facilitate the inclusion of children in societal activities. While mothers' voices have been widely captured in the literature regarding their experiences raising children with disabilities, fathers' perceptions of their knowledge of and involvement in the development of children with disabilities have been understudied, particularly in non-Western contexts. AIM: The main aim of this study was to examine fathers' perceptions of their involvement in raising children with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In total, 469 fathers were recruited to understand their involvement in raising their children with disabilities. The Fathers' Involvement in Development and Rehabilitation Scale was used to collect data, which were analysed using SPSS and AMOS. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The results showed that fathers rated themselves highly for their attitudes, support, and participation in training to support their children with disabilities. Demographic variables, such as nationality and educational qualifications, provided additional insight into their involvement in raising their children with disabilities. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The study concludes with suggestions for training programmes to change fathers' attitudes towards children with disabilities, as such programmes can enable them to better support their children's development.

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