FOCUS – Men’s health
SCREENING DADS FOR DEPRESSION IN AUSTRALIAN EARLY PARENTING CENTRES By Richard Fletcher, Eileen Dowse and Jennifer St George
A great opportunity exists at Precision brain spine and pain centre for an experienced RN Div1/EN with sound neurosurgery, neurology, and pain management experience to join our cutting edge multidisciplinary team. Our team offers friendly, supportive, collaborative working environment. The successful candidate will be offered a terrific salary and working hours, no weekend or evening work, complimentary group personal training at our onsite gym , ADO and free onsite parking. For a full position description and to submit applications (CV and cover letter) please email tristia@precisionhealth.com.au
For the majority of men, becoming a father is a time of joy that enhances their personal growth and wellbeing. However, similar to the experience of some women, this time can be overwhelming when adjusting to the necessary demands of parenthood and can undermine men’s mental health. Depression in fathers during the first year of a child’s life can have a detrimental impact on the child’s behaviour, and social and emotional development (Fletcher et al. 2011) and these risks are independent of the mothers’ mental health. Paternal depression also affects fathers’ parenting and couple relationships (Giallo et al. 2014; Wilson and Durbin, 2010). In order to develop mental health strategies and support for fathers that complement the mental health support that mothers already receive, the Paternal Perinatal Depression Initiative (PPDI) was established across Australia as a multidisciplinary approach that brings together clinical, research and policy development activities.
IN ORDER TO DEVELOP MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGIES AND SUPPORT FOR FATHERS THAT COMPLEMENT THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT THAT MOTHERS ALREADY RECEIVE, THE PATERNAL PERINATAL DEPRESSION INITIATIVE (PPDI) WAS ESTABLISHED ACROSS AUSTRALIA AS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH THAT BRINGS TOGETHER CLINICAL, RESEARCH AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. As part of the PPDI research agenda, the Screening Dads for Depression in Early Parenting Centres (EPC) research study was conducted in 2015. EPCs provide short term intensive residential care to families facing complex parenting issues, such as child behaviour, parent-child relationships and maternal perinatal mental health. EPCs provide support to an estimated 200,000 Australian families a year (Australian Association of Parenting and Child Health [AAPCH], 2016). But although mothers are assessed for mood disorders as part of the admission process to an EPC, and that the centres support the family as a unit and encourage all members to be involved, it is unclear if there is a similar assessment process for fathers. This is important to know because the presence of mood disorders in fathers may be more common than previously understood and is estimated to be up to 25.5% (Paulson, 2010). A telephone survey of staff at EPCs was conducted to identify, describe and quantify the instruments used and the procedures for screening fathers for depression as well as referral processes and pathways for fathers attending residential and day stay services. Findings from this study will help to inform future nursing care of fathers attending EPCs with their partner and the delivery of their mental health assessment and referral. Richard Fletcher, PhD is Associate Professor, Family Action Centre; Eileen Dowse, PhD is Midwifery Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and Jennifer St George, PhD is Senior Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine. All are at The University of Newcastle
36 November 2016 Volume 24, No. 5
References Australian Association of Parenting and Child Health (AAPCH). 2016. Services. www.aapch. com.au/services.php Accessed August 2016 Fletcher, R.J., Feeman, E. Garfield, C. & Vimpani, G. 2011. The effects of early paternal depression on children’s development. Med J Aust.1 95(11): 685-689. Giallo, R., A. Cooklin, C. Wade, F. D’Esposito and J. M. Nicholson. 2014. ‘Fathers’ postnatal mental health and child well-being at age five: The mediating role of parenting behavior. Journal of Family Issues. 35(11): 1543-1562. Paulson J.F. 2010. Focusing on depression in expectant and new fathers, Psychiatric Times, 27(2): 48-52. Wilson, S. & Durbin C. E. 2010. Effects of paternal depression on fathers’ parenting behaviors: A metaanalytic review. Clinical Psychology Review. 30(2): 167-180.
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