Childhood trauma linked to depression in fathers of toddlers via masculine role stress

Source and reference

Journal of Affective Disorders . Mental health professionals routinely study parental depression in mothers during the first year after childbirth. Growing evidence shows that fathers also experience depressive symptoms in the newborn phase. These struggles often persist into the early years of a child’s life as parents face the unique challenges of raising toddlers. The toddler stage is commonly known for developmental hurdles and extreme emotional highs and lows. Children between one and three years old quickly develop a drive for autonomy that outpaces their actual abilities. They want to dress themselves and assert control, which frequently leads to tantrums and defiant behaviors. This dynamic places heavy demands on parents and requires vast reserves of patience. A history of childhood trauma acts as a major risk factor for parental depression during these trying years....