A study from Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago released on June 18 highlights the importance of paid paternal leave in supporting new fathers' mental health after the birth of a child.
Researchers used data from the 2022-2023 Ohio Fatherhood Survey, which surveyed 4,290 new fathers about their experiences during the perinatal period. The study found that lack of access to paid leave or inability to take time off was linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression among fathers. Of those surveyed, 6.6% had depression and 11% had anxiety; fifteen percent did not take any leave, while 54% took paid leave, 22% took unpaid leave, and 9% took a mix.
The study will be published in the American Journal of Public Health. It used validated screening tools for depression and anxiety to examine how different types of leave affected mental health outcomes for new fathers.
Researchers said that while emotional vulnerability during early parenthood is well-documented for mothers, this study shows that fathers are also at risk. They said workplace norms and policies often do not address these needs despite growing recognition of fathers' roles in early child development.
Lead researcher Garfield said, "As the U.S. continues to discuss how best to support families from day one, paid paternity leave is one valuable tool to use. Our results show that paid leave can help new dads as they transition into fatherhood, giving them time and resources to get off on the right foot." Garfield added that expanding paid parental leave programs could have measurable impacts on population health by addressing financial barriers and normalizing paternal use of such benefits.
The research builds on previous work by Garfield using data from PRAMS for Dads survey piloted in Georgia in 2018. A prior study published in 2025 found most fathers reported taking less than two weeks’ leave after their child's birth; only about a third reported taking more than two weeks. PRAMS for Dads will soon collect responses across eleven states as part of ongoing efforts to address gaps in perinatal public health data.
