Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1891071

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Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Frontiers Media SA  

Background

How paternity leave relates to postpartum adjustment remains unclear.

Objective

We examined associations of paternity leave group [no leave, short (<1 month), or long (≥1 month)] with mothers’ parenting adaptation and depressive symptoms at 3 months postpartum in a theory-guided SEM including mothers’ reports of fathers’ childcare and housework involvement and perceived coparenting quality.

Methods

This cross-sectional survey included 555 mothers (primipara, n  = 330; multipara, n  = 225). Participants completed questionnaires assessing fathers’ involvement using the Child Care Activities and Housework Scale, coparenting quality using the Coparenting Relationship Scale, parenting resilience and adaptation using the Comprehensive Scale for Parenting Resilience and Adaptation, and depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Parity-stratified SEM estimated associations.

Results

In primiparous families, short and long leave were associated with higher paternal involvement; long leave had stronger associations across all four domains: Interactional Activities, Concrete Childcare Activities, Mental Support, and Housework. In multiparous families, leave was associated mainly with housework and task-based childcare, but not clearly with mental support. Across parity groups, mothers’ reports of fathers’ mental support showed the strongest association with mothers’ perceived coparenting quality [primipara: β  = 0.411, 95% CI (0.285, 0.527); multipara: β  = 0.490, 95% CI (0.350, 0.612)]. Better coparenting was associated with fewer perceived difficulties in environmental resources and perceived support and with lower psychological maladaptation to parenting; psychological maladaptation was positively associated with depressive symptoms in both groups [primipara: β  = 0.396, 95% CI (0.178, 0.571); multipara: β  = 0.301, 95% CI (0.133, 0.459)]. Because no direct paths from paternity leave to depressive symptoms were specified, total effects represented indirect associations. These associations were small and negative for both short and long leave among primiparous mothers; among multiparous mothers, only short leave showed a small negative indirect association, whereas the association for long leave was not clearly supported.

Conclusion

Paternity leave duration showed small indirect associations with maternal parenting adaptation and depressive symptoms through fathers’ involvement and coparenting quality. The findings suggest that the potential relevance of leave may depend not only on uptake and duration but also on supportive involvement and coparenting.

DOI： 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1807103

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Language：Japanese   Publisher：(公社)日本母性衛生学会  

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Language：Japanese   Publisher：(公社)日本母性衛生学会  

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Language：Japanese   Publisher：岡山県母性衛生学会  

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Language：Japanese   Publisher：(公社)日本母性衛生学会  

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Other Link： https://search.jamas.or.jp/default/link?pub_year=2013&ichushi_jid=J01362&link_issn=&doc_id=20130917100498&doc_link_id=%2Fcu2mater%2F2013%2F005403%2F500%2F0338-0338%26dl%3D0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medicalonline.jp%2Fjamas.php%3FGoodsID%3D%2Fcu2mater%2F2013%2F005403%2F500%2F0338-0338%26dl%3D0&type=MedicalOnline&icon=https%3A%2F%2Fjk04.jamas.or.jp%2Ficon%2F00004_2.gif

Event date： 2026.2.26 - 2026.2.28

Language：English  

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Event date： 2015.10

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

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Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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Language：Japanese  

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Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Poster presentation  

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助産学OSCE評価者養成講習受講済

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