New news on sad dads: A new study shows that depressed fathers are more likely to hit their children than their happy counterparts.
Out of a group of 1,700 fathers of 1-year-old children, 7% had diagnosed depression and these men were nearly four times as likely to report spanking their child and less likely to be involved in day-to-day parent/child activities, such as reading a book together.
Surprisingly, the most depressed dads, as well as the happy ones, reported playing games and singing and talking to their kids, which suggests that these activities may be more routine behaviors for fathers than reading.
"Fathers’ active roles in families and their mental health clearly influence child development and well being," the study stated. "The field of pediatrics is now faced with finding ways to support fathers in their parenting roles much in the same way we support mothers."
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