16 march 2008: PND in men affects children's behaviour

Postnatal depression in fathers can have long-term mental health effects on their children, a new study reveals.

The babies of men who are depressed were twice as likely to suffer from behavioural problems in later years as those whose fathers are not depressed, the Children of the 90s survey by the University of Bristol found.

The results reflected the father's role in socialising their children and raised questions about the age at which children become sensitive to their parents' moods, researchers said.

Psychiatrists warned that the findings could be a portent of future social problems as paternal postnatal depression becomes more widespread.

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