Japanese fathers’ parenting experiences and mental health: A qualitative study

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to clarify the actual parenting practices of fathers raising infants and their mental health status.

Methodology

This qualitative descriptive research involved interviews with husbands of pregnant women who visited maternity hospitals in a rural city any time after childbirth. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine fathers who agreed to participate.

Findings

The average age of the nine participants was 34 (range: 28–44); five had their first child, while four had two or more children. The fathers’ mental health was generally good, and they showed active involvement in childcare during infancy. A total of 90 codes were extracted from the narratives of all participants, from which the following six themes were identified: ‘good communication with wife and cooperation in childcare’, ‘actively practicing what I can do as a father’, ‘work-family conflict’, ‘wondering what kind of parenting I can do’, ‘no childcare support for fathers’, and ‘resistance to consulting about childcare’.

Research limitations

The study sample was small. The participants in this study had relatively good mental health.

Practical implications

These findings suggest the need for support for fathers to prevent perinatal paternal depression.

Originality

This study revealed the thoughts, experiences, and confusion of fathers raising their infants, and their perceptions of receiving parenting support. In Japan, interventions targeting depression in men providing childcare have not yet been initiated. However, it is essential that professionals first recognise fathers as potential recipients of childcare support, as they do mothers.