Abstract
This study examined the associations between adolescent mothers’ postpartum depressive symptoms and their perceptions of amount of father care giving and satisfaction with father involvement with the baby. The sample included 100 adolescent mothers (ages 13–19; mainly African-American and Latina) whose partners were recruited for a randomized study for fathers only. Controlling for prenatal depressive symptoms and other prenatal and postpartum variables, we found that higher levels of mothers’ satisfaction with father involvement rather than perception of amount of fathers’ care giving was significantly associated with fewer postpartum depressive symptoms. The relationship between satisfaction with father involvement and depressive symptoms was partially mediated by mothers’ sense of parenting competence and not by mothers’ parenting stress. Policy and programs should place greater emphasis on early support for adolescent mothers and their partners, particularly when mothers desire the involvement of the father with his child.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abidin, R. R. (1992). The determinants of parenting behavior. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 21, 407–412.
Abidin, R. R. (1995). Parenting stress index (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Ahrons, C. R. (1981). The continuing coparental relationship between divorced spouses. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 5, 415–428.
Ahrons, C. R., & Wallisch, L. (1987). Parenting in the binuclear family: Relationships between biological and stepparents. In K. Pasley & M. Ihinger-Tallman (Eds.), Remarriage and stepfamilies: Research and theory (pp. 225–256). New York: Guilford.
Azar, R., Paquette, D., Zoccolillo, M., Baltzer, F., & Tremblay, R. E. (2007). The association of major depression, conduct disorder, and maternal overcontrol with a failure to show a cortisol buffered response in 4-month-old infants of teenage mothers. Biological Psychiatry, 62, 573–579.
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182.
Birkeland, R., Thompson, J., & Phares, V. (2005). Adolescent motherhood and postpartum depression. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 292–300.
Bouchard, G., Lee, C. M., Asgary, V., & Pelletier, L. (2007). Fathers’ motivation for involvement with their children: A self-determination theory perspective. Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice about Men as Fathers, 5, 25–41.
Brown, T. N. (2003). Critical race theory speaks to the sociology of mental health: Mental health problems produced by racial stratification. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44, 292–301.
Campbell, S. B., Brownell, C. A., Hungerford, A., Spieker, S. J., Mohan, R., & Blessing, J. S. (2004). The course of maternal depressive symptoms and maternal sensitivity as predictors of attachment security at 36 months. Development and Psychopathology, 16, 231–252.
Cowan, C. P., & Cowan, P. A. (2000). When partners become parents: The big life changes for couples. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Cummings, E., Davies, P., & Campbell, S. B. (2000). Developmental psychopathology and family process: Theory research and clinical implications. New York: The Guilford Press.
DelKlyen, M., Brooks-Gunn, J., McLanahan, S., & Knab, J. (2006). The mental health of married, cohabiting, and non-coresident parents with infants. American Journal of Public Health, 96, 1836–1841.
Dellmann-Jenkins, M. S., Sattler, S. H., & Richardson, R. A. (1993). Adolescent parenting: A positive, intergenerational approach. Families in Society, 74, 590–601.
Dienhart, A., & Daly, K. (1997). Men and women cocreating father involvement in a nongenerative culture. In A. J. Hawkins & D. C. Dollahite (Eds.), Generative fathering: Beyond deficit perspectives (pp. 147–164). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Dix, T., & Meunier, L. N. (2008). Depressive symptoms and parenting competence: An analysis of 13 regulatory processes. Developmental Review, 29, 45–68.
Fagan, J. (2008). Randomized study of a prebirth coparenting intervention with adolescent and young fathers. Family Relations, 57, 309–323.
Fagan, J., & Barnett, M. (2003). The relationship between maternal gatekeeping, paternal competence, mothers’ attitudes about the father role, and father involvement. Journal of Family Issues, 24, 1020–1043.
Fagan, J., Bernd, E., & Whiteman, V. (2007a). Adolescent fathers’ parenting stress, social support, and involvement with infants. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 17, 1–22.
Fagan, J., Farrie, D., Cabrera, N., & Roy, K. (2007b). Relationship outcomes of adolescent parents. Paper presented at the annual conference of the national council on family relations, Pittsburgh, PA.
Fagan, J., Schmitz, M., & Lloyd, J. (2007c). The relationship between adolescent and young fathers’ capital and marital plans of couples expecting a baby. Family Relations, 56, 231–243.
Feinberg, M. E. (2003). The internal structure and ecological context of coparenting: A framework for research and intervention. Parenting: Science and Practice, 3, 95–131.
Field, T., Pickens, J., Prodromidis, M., Malphurs, J., Fox, N., Bendell, D., et al. (2000). Targeting adolescent mothers with depressive symptoms for early intervention. Adolescence, 35, 381–414.
Florsheim, P., Sumida, E., & McCann, C. (2003). The transition to parenthood among young African American and Latino couples: Relational predictors of risk for parental dysfunction. Journal of Family Psychology, 17, 65–79.
Forste, R., Bartkowski, J. P., & Allen, R. (2009). “Just be there for them”: Perspectives of fathering among single, low-income men. Fathering, 7, 49–69.
Gavin, L. E., Black, M. M., Minor, S., Abel, Y., Papas, M. A., & Bentley, M. E. (2002). Young, disadvantaged fathers’ involvement with their infants: An ecological perspective. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 266–276.
Gee, C. B., McNerney, C. M., Reiter, M. J., & Leaman, S. C. (2007). Adolescent and young adult mothers’ relationship quality during the transition to parenthood: Associations with father involvement in fragile families. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 213–224.
Gee, C. B., & Rhodes, J. E. (2003). Adolescent mothers’ relationship with their children’s biological fathers: Social support, social strain, and relationship continuity. Journal of Family Psychology, 17, 370–383.
Gibaud-Wallston, J., & Wandersman, L. P. (1978). Development and utility of the parenting sense of competence scale. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto.
Gilmore, L., & Cuskelly, M. (2008). Factor structure of the parenting sense of competence scale using a normative sample. Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(1), 48–55.
Glickman, H. (2004). Low-income young fathers: Contexts, connections, and self. Social Work, 49, 195–206.
Herrmann, M. M., Cleve, L. V., & Levisen, L. (2001). Parenting competence, social support, and self esteem in teen mothers case managed by public health nurses. Public Health Nursing, 15, 432–439.
Hossain, Z., & Roopnarine, J. (1994). African-Americans fathers’ involvement with infants: Relationship to their functioning style, support, education, and income. Infant Behavior & Development, 17, 175–184.
Hudson, D. B., Elek, S. M., & Campbell-Grossman, C. (2000). Depression, self-esteem, loneliness, and social support among adolescent mothers participating in the new parents project. Adolescence, 35, 445–453.
Kalil, A., Ziol-Guest, K. M., & Coley, R. L. (2005). Perceptions of father involvement patterns in teenage-mother families: Predictors and links to mothers’ psychological adjustment. Family Relations, 54, 197–211.
Kissman, K. (1988). Factors associated with competence and parenting attitude among teen mothers. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 1, 247–255.
Knoche, L. L., Givens, J. E., & Sheridan, S. M. (2007). Risk and protective factors for children of adolescents: Maternal depression and parental sense of competence. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 16, 684–695.
Krishnakumar, A., & Black, M. M. (2003). Family processes within three-generation households and adolescent mothers’ satisfaction with father involvement. Journal of Family Psychology, 17, 488–498.
Leadbeater, B.J., Bishop, S.J., & Raver, C.C. (1996). Quality of mother-toddler interactions, maternal depressive symptoms, and behavior problems in preschoolers of adolescent mothers. Developmental Psychology, 32, 280–288.
Logsdon, M. C., Birkimer, J. C., Simpson, T., & Looney, S. (2005). Postpartum depression and social support in adolescents. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 34, 46–54.
MacKinnon, D. P., & Dwyer, J. H. (1993). Estimating mediated effects in prevention studies. Evaluation Review, 17, 144–158.
Marsiglio, W., Amato, P., Day, R. D., & Lamb, M. E. (2000). Scholarship on fatherhood in the 1990s and beyond. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62, 1173–1191.
McDonald, D. A., & Almeida, D. M. (2004). The interweave of fathers’ daily work experiences and fathering behaviors. [Special issue: Work/Family Issues for Fathers]. Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice about Men as Fathers, 2, 235–251.
Mezulis, A. H., Hyde, J. S., & Clark, R. (2004). Family involvement moderates the effect of maternal depression during a child’s infancy on child behavior problems in kindergarten. Journal of Family Psychology, 18, 575–588.
Misri, S., Reebye, P., Milis, L., & Shah, S. (2006). The impact of treatment intervention on parenting stress in postpartum depressed mothers: A prospective study. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76, 115–119.
Ohan, J. L., Leung, D. W., & Johnston, C. (2000). The parenting sense of competence scale: Evidence of a stable factor structure and validity. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 32(4), 251–261.
Panzarine, S., Slater, E., & Sharps, P. (1995). Coping, social support, and depressive symptoms in adolescent mothers. Journal of Adolescent Health, 17, 113–119.
Pelaez, M., Field, T., Pickens, J. N., & Hart, S. (2008). Disengaged and authoritarian parenting behavior of depressed mothers with toddlers. Infant Behavior and Development, 31, 145–148.
Petterson, S. M., & Albers, A. B. (2001). Effects of poverty and maternal depression on early child development. Child Development, 72, 1794–1813.
Pomerantz, E. M., Grolnick, W. S., & Price, C. E. (2005). The role of parents in how children approach achievement: A dynamic perspective. In A. J. Elliot & C. S. Dweck (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation (pp. 31–51). New York: The Guilford Press.
Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–401.
Rands, M., Levinger, G., & Mellinger, G. D. (1981). Patterns of conflict resolution and marital satisfaction. Journal of Family Issues, 2, 297–321.
Reid, V., & Meadows-Oliver, M. (2007). Postpartum depression in adolescent mothers: An integrated review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 21, 289–298.
Rhein, L. M., Ginsburg, K. R., Schwartz, D. F., Pinto-Martin, J. A., Zhao, H., Morgan, A. P., et al. (1997). Teen father participation in child rearing: Family perspectives. Journal of Adolescent Health, 21, 244–252.
Rogers, H., & Matthews, J. (2004). The parenting sense of competence scale: Investigation of the factor structure, reliability, and validity for an Australian sample. Australian Psychologist, 39(1), 88–96.
Roy, K. M., Buckmiller, N., & McDowell, A. (2008). Together but not “together”: Trajectories of relationship suspension for low-income unmarried parents. Family Relations, 57, 198–210.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and wellbeing. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78.
Ryff, C. D., Keyes, C. L., & Hughes, D. L. (2003). Status inequalities, perceived discrimination, and eudaimonic well-being: Do the challenges of minority life hone purpose and growth? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44, 275–291.
Schudlich, T. D. D. R., Papp, L. M., & Cummings, E. M. (2004). Relations of husbands’ and wives dysphoria to marital conflict resolution strategies. Journal of Family Psychology, 18, 171–183.
Schultheiss, O. C., & Brunstein, J. C. (2005). An implicit motive perspective on competence. In A. J. Elliot & C. S. Dweck (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation (pp. 31–51). New York: The Guilford Press.
Shibley Hyde, J., Else-Quest, N. M., Goldsmith, H. H., & Biesanz, J. C. (2004). Children’s temperament and behavior problems predict their employed mothers’ work functioning. Child Development, 75, 580–594.
Silver, E. J., Heneghan, A. M., Bauman, L. J., & Stein, R. E. K. (2006). The relationship of depressive symptoms to parenting competence and social support in inner-city mothers of young children. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 10, 105.
Smith, L. E., & Howard, K. S. (2008). Continuity of paternal social support and depressive symptoms among new mothers. Journal of Family Psychology, 22, 763–773.
Waller, M. R., & Swisher, R. R. (2006). Fathers’ risk behaviors in fragile families: Implications for ‘Healthy’ relationships and father involvement. Social Problems, 53, 392–420.
Wells, V. E., Klerman, G. L., & Deykin, E. Y. (1987). The prevalence of depressive symptoms in college students. Social Psychiatry, 22, 20–28.
Whiteside-Mansell, L., Ayoub, C., McKelvey, L., Faldowski, R. A., Hart, A., & Shears, J. (2007). Parenting stress of low-income parents of toddlers and preschoolers: Psychometric properties of a short form of the parenting stress index. Parenting: Science and Practice, 7, 27–56.
Williams, K. (2003). Has the future of marriage arrived? A contemporary examination of gender, marriage, and psychological well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44, 470–487.
Williams, K. J., & Alliger, G. M. (1994). Role stressors, mood spillover, and perceptions of work-family conflict in employed parents. Academy of Management Journal, 37, 837–868.
Xie, H., Cairns, B. D., & Cairns, R. B. (2001). Predicting teen motherhood and teen fatherhood: Individual characteristics and peer affiliations. Social Development, 10, 488–511.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fagan, J., Lee, Y. Perceptions and Satisfaction with Father Involvement and Adolescent Mothers’ Postpartum Depressive Symptoms. J Youth Adolescence 39, 1109–1121 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9444-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9444-6