Frontiers in Psychology (Nov 2023)
Longitudinal associations between paternal mental health and child behavior and cognition in middle childhood
- Sherri Lee Jones,
- Sherri Lee Jones,
- Sherri Lee Jones,
- Christina Caccese,
- Christina Caccese,
- Christina Caccese,
- Kelsey P. Davis,
- Kelsey P. Davis,
- Jimin Lew,
- Jimin Lew,
- Jimin Lew,
- Guillaume Elgbeili,
- Catherine M. Herba,
- Catherine M. Herba,
- Julia Barnwell,
- Julia Barnwell,
- Cindy Hénault Robert,
- Cindy Hénault Robert,
- Isabella Gavanski,
- Kristin Horsley,
- William D. Fraser,
- William D. Fraser,
- Deborah Da Costa,
- Jean R. Séguin,
- Jean R. Séguin,
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen,
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen,
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen,
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen,
- Tina C. Montreuil,
- Tina C. Montreuil,
- Tina C. Montreuil,
- Tina C. Montreuil,
- Tina C. Montreuil
Affiliations
- Sherri Lee Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Sherri Lee Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Sherri Lee Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Christina Caccese
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Christina Caccese
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Christina Caccese
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Kelsey P. Davis
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Kelsey P. Davis
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Jimin Lew
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Jimin Lew
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Jimin Lew
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Guillaume Elgbeili
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Catherine M. Herba
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Catherine M. Herba
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Julia Barnwell
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Julia Barnwell
- Department of Pediatrics, Human Genetics and Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Cindy Hénault Robert
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Cindy Hénault Robert
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Isabella Gavanski
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Kristin Horsley
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- William D. Fraser
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- William D. Fraser
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Sherbrooke, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Deborah Da Costa
- 0Department of Physical and Occupational Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Jean R. Séguin
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Jean R. Séguin
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen
- 2Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen
- 3Reproductive Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tina C. Montreuil
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tina C. Montreuil
- Department of Psychiatry, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tina C. Montreuil
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tina C. Montreuil
- Department of Pediatrics, Human Genetics and Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Tina C. Montreuil
- 4Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1218384
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 14
Abstract
IntroductionPaternal mental health has been associated with adverse consequences on offspring psychosocial development, and family environmental factors may partly explain those associations. To clarify this, we need comprehensive prospective studies, particularly in middle-childhood when the child enters school and is expected to make use of behavioral and cognitive skills as part of their interactions and learning.MethodUsing data from a sub-sample of the prospective 3D birth cohort study comprised of mother-father-child triads, and a follow-up of the parents and the children at 6–8 years of age (n = 61; 36 boys, 25 girls), we examined whether paternal anxious and depressive symptoms measured during the pregnancy period (i.e., prenatally) or concurrently when the child was assessed at 6–8 years old were associated with children's cognition/behavior.ResultsIn contrast to our hypotheses, we found that greater prenatal paternal depressive symptoms predicted fewer child behavioral difficulties; and that greater concurrent childhood paternal depression or anxiety symptoms were associated with higher child full-scale IQ, controlling for the equivalent maternal mental health assessment and parental education. Father parenting perception did not mediate these associations, nor were they moderated by maternal mental health at the concurrent assessment, or paternal ratings of marital relationship quality.DiscussionThese findings suggest that higher symptoms of paternal mental health symptoms are associated with fewer child behavioral difficulties and higher cognitive performance in middle childhood. Potential clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Keywords
- paternal depressive symptoms
- paternal anxiety symptoms
- child cognition
- child behavior
- child development
