3. Study on paternal behaviors

Redefining the role of fathers: Their decisive impact on child developmental health

An increasing number of children now experience cognitive, emotional and behavioural challenges. These problems tend to persist and can lead to significant social and economic consequences. For this reason, it is crucial to develop effective preventative interventions, which cannot be designed without a thorough understanding of the factors that influence child development and mental health starting as early as the first days of pregnancy.

Using a longitudinal methodology starting in the prenatal period, this study, led by Professor Célia Matte-Gagné will explore the role of mental health and parental behaviour from fathers on children’s early development. While fathers are more present then ever in their children’s lives, they are generally under-represented in the literature.

This project seeks to address this gap in the literature by studying the relationship between parental behaviour on early mental health in children and the intergenerational (parent-child) transmission of mental health problems. Among others, it will explore the connections between paternal mental health during the perinatal period and their child’s socio-affective and cognitive development. The project will also examine how the behaviour of fathers towards their children, as well as their sensitivity, can play a role in these associations.

A better understanding of the role that fathers’ mental health and parental behaviours play in their children’s development, starting in the prenatal period, will not only help guide health care professionals’ practices when working with expectant parents, but also support the implementation of social programs that seek to better promote the mental health and parental behaviours of fathers, thereby supporting the development and mental health of their children.

By recognizing and studying the importance of fathers’ mental health, this project could revolutionize current approaches and significantly improve results in the mental health of future generations.

Lead researcher : Matte-Gagné, Célia^3,5,6

Co-researcher : Bernier, Annie^1,5; Berthelot, Nicolas²; Boivin, Michel³; Muckle, Gina^3,6; Ouellet-Morin, Isabelle⁴; Petitclerc, Amélie³

1. Department of Psychology,  UdeM
2. Dept of Nursing Sciences, UQTR; CERVO Research Centre
3. School of Psychology, UL; GRIP
4. School of Criminology, UdeM ; CESH
5. CRUJeF
6. CHU de Québec/Université Laval Research Centre