Depressive Symptoms, Dyadic Coping, and Attachment to the Fetus in Expectant Fathers: A Moderated-Mediation Analysis

Father-fetal attachment is an important contributor to future father-infant relationship and to child outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine factors potentially associated with the levels of attachment to the fetus. Specifically, we explored the association between fathers’ depressive symptoms and father-fetal attachment and examined the potential mediating role of dyadic coping in this association. Moreover, the moderated role of parity (be or not a first-time father) was tested.

Expectant fathers (N = 302; M age = 33.38; SD = 5.82) completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Dyadic Coping Inventory and the Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale.

Results of the moderated-mediation model indicated that more depressive symptoms were associated directly and indirectly, through lack of positive dyadic coping (but not through negative dyadic coping), to the father-fetal attachment. Specifically, while for non-first-time fathers their depressive symptoms were associated with lower levels of attachment to the fetus only when they experienced lower levels of positive dyadic coping, for first-time fathers depressive symptoms were associated with lower levels of attachment to the fetus regardless of their levels of positive dyadic coping.

It seems that, for fathers both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors are associated with the levels of attachment to the fetus. These findings can contribute to inform psychosocial interventions and research about men’s needs during pregnancy.