104 - Postnatal Paternal Depression Among Parents Of Newborns Admitted To The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Publication Number: 2099.104

Maria Lithoxopoulou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Boston, MA, United States; Paraskevi Liouliou, General Hospital Papageorgiou, Thessaloniki, Greece, Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Georgia Kyriakeli, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Christos Tsakalidis, Papageorgiou general hospital, Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Helen Christou, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Eftychia Drogouti, Papageorgiou general hospital thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Antigoni Sarantaki, university of west attica, Egaleo, Athens, Attiki, Greece

Background: Preterm birth is often unexpected and can significantly disrupt family life. Fathers may experience psychological distress due to limited preparedness and the stress of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission.

Objective: To evaluate anxiety and depression symptoms among fathers of preterm newborns admitted to the NICU compared with fathers of full-term newborns, and to assess the impact of NICU-related stress and sociodemographic factors.

Design/Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 fathers (50 with preterm, 50 with full-term neonates). Participants completed a questionnaire including Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS), Zung Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Postnatal Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ). Data were analyzed using SPSS-25 with descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: A total of 100 fathers participated (50 preterm, 50 full-term). The mean paternal age was 36.5±6.5 years. Nearly half resided in urban areas (48%), and 85% did not attend prenatal classes. Most pregnancies were desired (94%), although 12% of fathers reported sadness during pregnancy and 7% reported a previous mental health condition.
Overall depression and anxiety scores were low (Zung Depression Scale:31.5 ± 7.3 and PASS Total: 15.4 ± 11.6 respectively), and no significant postnatal bonding issues emerged. Fathers of preterm infants reported higher anxiety compared with fathers of full-term infants, (Table 1) but no significant differences were found for depression or bonding between the two groups. Cause of NICU admission (prematurity-related vs other) did not influence psychological outcomes (all p>0.05). Overall, despite low mean distress scores, preterm birth was associated with higher paternal anxiety scores, (Figure 1) supporting the relevance of paternal mental-health screening in NICU settings. Higher paternal age correlated with increased bonding difficulties (ρ=0.28, p=0.01) and depressive symptoms (Zung: ρ=0.21, p=0.04). The PASS demonstrated strong positive correlations with validated measures of depressive symptoms, suggesting that higher anxiety levels are closely linked with broader emotional difficulties (Figure 2).

Conclusion(s): Although overall distress levels were modest, fathers of preterm neonates showed increased anxiety compared to those of full-term infants. Incorporating paternal mental health screening into neonatal care, especially in NICU settings, may facilitate early support and promote family-centered care.

Table 1. Comparison of scores Fathers of Preterm vs Fathers of Full-Term
Fathers of preterm infants reported significantly higher anxiety

Figure 1. PASS Scores by Infant Type (Box Plot)
Comparison of PASS anxiety scores between fathers of preterm vs full term newborns, demonstrating significantly higher anxiety among fathers of preterm infants.

Figure 2. Correlation Heatmap Between Psychometric Measures
Heatmap illustrating correlations between PASS and related psychometric scales (PHQ 9, Zung, PBQ). Strong positive correlations reflect co-occurrence of anxiety (higher PASS) and other emotional symptoms with depressive symptoms and maternal distress, supporting the convergent validity of the PASS. (yellow strong positive correlation)