ArticleSSM. Mental health2024
Father involvement is a protective factor for maternal mental health in Western Kenya.
Article in SSM. Mental health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Development and validation of a measure for father involvement during early childhood in a resource-limited context.BMC public health · 2024Trial
- Associations between recent intimate partner violence and sustained viral suppression among pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV in western Kenya: A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort (Opt4Mamas).International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026Article
- Identification, Prevention, and Treatment of Perinatal Depression in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Narrative Review.Biological psychiatry · 2026Review
- Parental depressive symptoms link family income to preschool child mental health in Western China.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Differences in parental childcare contributions and maternal postpartum psychosocial well-being: a cross-sectional study.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Depressive and anxiety symptomatology among caregivers of children 0-3 years in Nairobi City County: Community-based prevalence study.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Perceived changes in mothers' outcomes following a pilot parenting program for couples with young children in Mwanza, Tanzania: A longitudinal qualitative study.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- "When a man is stressed, it replicates in the house": Kenyan women's perspectives on the influence of male partners on perinatal mental health among women affected by HIV.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Maternal Mental Health and Child Dietary Diversity in Rural Kenya: Findings From a Pooled Analysis of 2 Baseline Studies.Current developments in nutrition · 2025Article
- Article
- Engaging fathers(to-be): a pilot study on the adaptation and programme experience of SMS4baba intervention in Kenya's informal settlements.BMC public health · 2024Article
- "Good fathers": Community perceptions of idealized fatherhood and reported fathering behaviors in Mwanza, Tanzania.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Depression is a major global health concern especially among mothers of young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While various risk and protective factors have been well-established, the role of fathers in potentially mitigating maternal depression remains understudied. This study aimed to investigate the association between father involvement and maternal depressive symptoms in rural Western Kenya. We used cross-sectional baseline data collected in February-March 2023 from a cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a community-based parenting program for improving early childhood development. Primary caregivers with children 0-18 months of age were enrolled into the trial across 51 villages in Nyamira and Vihiga counties. We analyzed data from 413 mothers who were in a relationship with a male partner (i.e., father of the young child). Maternal depressive symptoms were measured using the CESD-10. Father involvement was reported using a multidimensional measure of men's engagement in childcare activities, household chores, early learning activities, and affection towards their child. We used multilevel regression models to estimate the adjusted associations between father involvement (overall score and by specific domains) and maternal depressive symptoms. We also conducted exploratory subgroup analyses to assess whether this association differed by child age. Overall, greater father involvement was associated with fewer maternal depressive symptoms. Specifically, fathers' engagement in household chores and childcare activities had the strongest protective associations. Exploratory subgroup analyses revealed larger associations for mothers with younger children under 6 months. Our findings suggest that father involvement is a protective factor for maternal mental health. Engaging fathers in early childhood interventions and encouraging men's involvement in caregiving activities may potentially benefit maternal well-being.
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