Depression, Masculine Norm Adherence, and Fathering Behavior

Abstract

While, overall, fathers have become more involved as parents, there may be significant variability in how involved fathers are in the lives of their children. This study examines how paternal depression and masculine norm adherence affect father involvement. Using new data from the Survey of Contemporary Fatherhood ( N = 2,181) and ordinary least squares regression models, we focus on the effect of depression on four measures of fathering behavior, with masculine norm adherence as a moderator. Results indicated that depression and masculinity had independent effects on father involvement. Furthermore, masculinity moderated the effect of depression for warmth, engagement, and use of harsh parenting—but not positive control. These results have important implications for how we think about the impact of depression on parenting and the role of socialized response in understanding fathering outcomes.