Abstract
Purpose: Fathers often experience sleep disturbance during the first year of parenting, which is closely linked to adverse physical and psychological well-being. While maternal sleep and mood disturbances have been widely studied, fathers remain an understudied population. This study aimed to investigate the association between sleep quality and depressive symptoms among fathers within one year after childbirth.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 120 fathers whose partners had given birth within the previous 12 months. The Taiwanese version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessed sleep quality, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) measured depressive symptoms. Demographic and health-related data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression.
Results: Fathers’ mean age was 34.9 years (Standard Deviation = 5.1), with 83.3% aged over 30 years. Most had a college degree or above (90.8%), were employed (95.8%), and reported a monthly income of ≥ 50,000 NTD (67.5%). More than half of their partners had a vaginal birth (51.7%), and 75.8% were primiparas. Mean infant age was 6.5 months (SD = 3.7). Most fathers rated their health as good or very good (74.2%). The average PSQI score was 5.4 (SD = 2.9), and the mean EPDS score was 7.0 (SD = 3.7). A significant positive correlation was found between sleep quality and depressive symptoms (r = .37, p < .001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that fathers with a college degree or above (β = -2.18, p = .013) and good self-rated health (β = -1.19, p = .030) had better sleep quality, whereas cesarean delivery (β = 1.13, p = .024) was associated with poorer sleep. After adjusting for demographic and obstetric factors, depressive symptoms remained significantly associated with poor sleep quality (β = 0.24, p < .001).
Conclusions: A significant association was identified between sleep quality and depressive symptoms among fathers during the first year after childbirth. Early screening and intervention programs targeting paternal sleep disturbance may improve psychological well-being. Incorporating routine psychological assessments for fathers, including sleep and depression, into postnatal nursing care is essential to promote paternal mental health and strengthen family adjustment.
Notes
References:
Kalogeropoulos, C., Burdayron, R., Laganiere, C., Béliveau, M. J., Dubois-Comtois, K., & Pennestri, M. H. (2021). Investigating the link between sleep and postpartum depression in fathers utilizing subjective and objective sleep measures. Sleep medicine: X, 3, 100036.
Sigma Membership
Lambda Beta at-Large
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Public and Community Health, Stress and Coping, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Depression, Parenthood, Fathers--Psychosocial Factors, Sleep Quality
Recommended Citation
Lin-Lewry, Marianne and Kuo, Shu-Yu, "Sleep Quality and Depressive Symptoms Among Fathers in Early Parenthood" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 48.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/posters_2026/48
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-30
Sleep Quality and Depressive Symptoms Among Fathers in Early Parenthood
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Purpose: Fathers often experience sleep disturbance during the first year of parenting, which is closely linked to adverse physical and psychological well-being. While maternal sleep and mood disturbances have been widely studied, fathers remain an understudied population. This study aimed to investigate the association between sleep quality and depressive symptoms among fathers within one year after childbirth.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 120 fathers whose partners had given birth within the previous 12 months. The Taiwanese version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessed sleep quality, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) measured depressive symptoms. Demographic and health-related data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression.
Results: Fathers’ mean age was 34.9 years (Standard Deviation = 5.1), with 83.3% aged over 30 years. Most had a college degree or above (90.8%), were employed (95.8%), and reported a monthly income of ≥ 50,000 NTD (67.5%). More than half of their partners had a vaginal birth (51.7%), and 75.8% were primiparas. Mean infant age was 6.5 months (SD = 3.7). Most fathers rated their health as good or very good (74.2%). The average PSQI score was 5.4 (SD = 2.9), and the mean EPDS score was 7.0 (SD = 3.7). A significant positive correlation was found between sleep quality and depressive symptoms (r = .37, p < .001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that fathers with a college degree or above (β = -2.18, p = .013) and good self-rated health (β = -1.19, p = .030) had better sleep quality, whereas cesarean delivery (β = 1.13, p = .024) was associated with poorer sleep. After adjusting for demographic and obstetric factors, depressive symptoms remained significantly associated with poor sleep quality (β = 0.24, p < .001).
Conclusions: A significant association was identified between sleep quality and depressive symptoms among fathers during the first year after childbirth. Early screening and intervention programs targeting paternal sleep disturbance may improve psychological well-being. Incorporating routine psychological assessments for fathers, including sleep and depression, into postnatal nursing care is essential to promote paternal mental health and strengthen family adjustment.
Description
Fathers in the first year after childbirth often experience sleep disturbance and emotional distress, which may adversely affect their well-being. Evidence suggests that poor sleep quality is associated with increased depressive symptoms. This study aimed to examine the association between sleep quality and depressive symptoms among fathers within one year after childbirth.