Researchers followed 746 Swedish fathers over an 18-month period. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, began when their children were around nine months old and ended when they were approximately 27 months old.
The fathers completed questionnaires about their mental well-being at the beginning and the end of the study.
They also reported how long they had been on parental leave. According to the Karolinska Institute cited by Forskning.se, the researchers took several factors into account, including the family's circumstances, financial situation, and the mothers' parental leave.
The results should be interpreted with caution
The researchers emphasize that this is an observational study.
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Therefore, it cannot determine whether longer parental leave is the direct cause of fewer depressive symptoms.
In addition, the information about the fathers' parental leave was based on their self-reported responses, which may have influenced the findings.
A clear association
The study found that fathers who took between 14 and 40 weeks of parental leave had a lower risk of depressive symptoms than fathers who took four weeks or less.
The same association was not found among fathers who took five to 13 weeks of leave or more than 40 weeks of leave.
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According to the Karolinska Institute, the researchers believe that spending a longer period at home may help fathers feel more confident in their parenting role, strengthen their relationship with their child, and establish better daily routines.
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