“When you are told ‘parenthood’ and ‘depression“, isn’t the first thing you think of the postpartum where the baby blues young mothers? Women are not the only ones to feel stress when it comes to parenthood: men too!
In study published on February 5, 2015, Kevin Shafer, Brigham Young University, and Garrett T. Pace, Princeton, analyzed how more than 6,000 men and women assumed their parenthood in different situations (parents, step-parents, cohabiting with their child or not).
Stepfathers more prone to depression
The main finding of the study is that the risk of depression increases in both sexes when they have several parental roles to play (parents, step-parents).
In-laws are the worst off because they have to take on a role in two or even three families at the same time. They are thus 57% more likely to have depression than single parents.
Different depressive factors for each person
In addition, there are factors that affect mothers and fathers or even stepfathers differently in their parental roles.
There are, for example, no standards for being both a good parent and a good step-parent. This raises questions for those involved. And this constant ruminating brings stress, of course.
Better screen for depression
Stepfamilies are increasingly common, and doctors and parents alike ignore the telltale symptoms of depression.
These results suggest that, during the management of depression, social workers and other health professionals must know the parental role assumed by the person who consults for more transparency on his state of mind.
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