Post-natal depression in fathers, in addition to mothers, bring emotional problems for their teenage daughters, finds a new study.
The study found that almost one in 20 new fathers suffered depression in the weeks after their child was born.
However, this association of increased risk applied only to teenage daughters. Sons remained unaffected.
While it is unclear why girls may be more affected at this age, there may be links to specific aspects of father-daughter relationships as girls go through adolescence, the team suggested, in the paper published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
According to Paul Ramchandani, Professor from the University of Cambridge,
Whilst many children will not be affected by parental depression in this way, the findings of this study highlight the importance of providing appropriate help to fathers, as well as mothers, who may experience depression, according to Ramchandani.
Mark Williams, a paternal depression campaigner, said,
The study was based on the experiences of 3,176 fathers.
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