Designing paternal mental health support v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing an intervention for paternal mental health based on the views, experiences and preferences of fathers and healthcare practitioners in a contemporary and culturally diverse society. A mixed methods study.
IRAS ID
293474
Contact name
Michelle Dyer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Warwick, Research and Impact services
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
There is an increasing amount of research which recognises that fathers can be affected by mental health issues during the perinatal mental health period. The perinatal mental health period is defined by NHS England as the time from pregnancy, up to 12 months after the birth of a child. This period of transitioning to fatherhood is identified as a critical time for developing mental health issues as it comes with significant and unique problems, such as lack of sleep. This study aims to develop a mental health support program for new fathers experiencing, or at risk of mental health issues. It is made up of multiple phases; phase 1 involves reviewing previous research, followed by two phases of research with fathers and healthcare professionals. Phase 2 involves surveying a national population of fathers and healthcare professionals in the UK to gain their knowledge, experiences and preferences of mental health support for fathers during the perinatal mental health period. Phase 3 involves interviewing fathers with experience of mental health issues in the perinatal mental health period, or expectant fathers with a history of mental health issues to understand experiences of fathering, and experiences of mental health services or support for fathers.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0133
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion