New research highlights mental health risks for first-time fathers
Men with a history of depression are eight times more likely than their peers to experience depression in the year after becoming a father, according to new research by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).
The findings draw on Ten to Men, the world’s largest longitudinal study on male health, which has been tracking more than 16,000 boys and men since 2013. The report explores how mental and physical health, along with access to care, can affect men as they transition into fatherhood.
While becoming a father for the first time is a positive experience for most men, the research shows that pre-existing health challenges can carry into this new stage of life. Men with depression, obesity, or insufficient sleep before fatherhood were more likely to continue facing these issues after the birth of their child.
Overall, the study found that first-time fathers were 29 per cent less likely to experience moderate or severe depression in the year after their child was born compared with men who had not become fathers. However, certain groups - such as younger men, those living in disadvantaged areas, and those in major cities - were more likely to experience new-onset depression in that period.
Health outcomes such as sleep and weight were found to be broadly similar between fathers and non-fathers. But the research underlined that existing challenges often persist. Men who entered fatherhood already experiencing obesity or poor sleep tended to continue struggling with those conditions in the first year of parenthood.
When it came to seeking support, the majority of first-time fathers (84 per cent) visited their GP in the year after their child’s birth. Yet more than a third of new fathers faced barriers to care, including long wait times, service availability, work commitments, cost, and transport. Around 10 per cent of men did not access any health services at all in their first year as a parent.
In this study, most participants were first-time fathers of very young children, meaning the health outcomes explored reflect the critical first year of fatherhood.
Senior AIFS researcher Dr Constantine Gasser said early intervention can play an important role.
“We know that a man’s health and wellbeing before conception can have a significant impact on how he copes with the transition to becoming a father,” Dr Gasser said.
“GPs play a vital role in supporting men as they prepare for fatherhood. Early conversations – ideally before conception – can help men strengthen their health and wellbeing, setting them up for a confident and healthy transition into parenthood.”
Ten to Men Program Lead, Dr Sean Martin, said the findings highlight the need for health systems to evolve.
“These findings suggest that more work needs to be done in providing support services and better integrating fathers into the maternal and child health system – and making those systems and services more accessible,” Dr Martin said.
“This is not just a men’s health issue – the wider impacts on families, children, workplaces and communities if fathers aren’t mentally and physically well can be significant.”
Assistant Minister for Social Services and the Prevention of Family Violence, Ged Kearney, said cultural expectations are shifting.
“Historically, we as a society haven’t supported men enough to be the best fathers they can be. This study is part of a broader effort by the Albanese Labor Government to champion men’s physical and mental health, and better support dads to be the best they can be.”
Special Envoy for Men’s Health, Dan Repacholi, said the study reinforces the importance of reaching out early.
“We talk a lot about supporting mums and rightly so, but this research shows we can’t forget about dads. Becoming a father is one of life’s biggest moments, and while it’s mostly positive, it can also be bloody tough on your mental health.
“Fatherhood isn’t just about bringing a baby home. It’s about making sure dads are healthy, happy, and able to be there for their kids and their partners. When dads do well, families do well and that’s good for the whole community.”
The Ten to Men study, funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, has been expanded in 2024–25 to include a further 10,000 men. It continues to track major issues affecting male health, including gambling, drinking, drug use, family violence, social connection, and mental health.