Father Closeness As a Mediator of Paternal Mental Health (Depression and Anxiety) and Paternal Warmth in a Diverse Sample

Background and Purpose: Paternal warmth is a critical component of healthy child development, closely linked to children’s emotional security, self-esteem, and overall well-being. However, symptoms of depression and anxiety in fathers can undermine their capacity to express warmth, potentially compromising these developmental outcomes. Supporting and enhancing paternal warmth in the context of mental health challenges may serve as a protective factor, helping to buffer children from the negative impacts of parental psychological distress. Father-child closeness, a key relational bond rooted in trust, support, and communication, has been shown to strengthen parenting warmth, even amid mental health difficulties. Yet, few studies have examined how closeness may shape the link between paternal mental health symptoms and warmth, particularly among racially diverse fathers. Guided by Belsky’s (1984) determinants of parenting model and Interpersonal Acceptance and Rejection Theory (IPARTheory), this study investigates the associations among paternal mental health, father-child closeness, and paternal warmth.

Methods: A cross-sectional panel survey using Qualtrics was conducted to collect a non-randomized quota sample of 325 racially diverse fathers across the U.S. with children aged 3–12. Measures included paternal mental health (PHQ-9 for depression and GAD-7 for anxiety), father-child closeness (the Parent-Child Closeness Scale), and paternal warmth (self-reported parenting warmth behaviors). Structural equation modeling (SEM) in Stata was used to examine the relationships between these variables, with paternal mental health modeled as a latent construct.

Results: Fathers were predominately resident parents (92%), with various racial identities (44% Black/African American, 15% Hispanic/Latino, 14% mixed race, and 12% Asian), and an average age of 33 years. SEM results showed that paternal mental health was negatively associated with father-child closeness (β = -0.35, p < .001), which in turn was positively linked to paternal warmth (β = 0.16, p < .001). Father-child closeness significantly mediated the relationship between mental health and warmth (indirect effect: β = -0.05, SE = 0.02, 95% CI [-0.09, -0.01]).

Conclusions and Implications: Findings from this study underscore the crucial role of father-child closeness in mitigating the negative impact of paternal mental health challenges on parenting warmth. Fathers with higher mental health symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression) reported reduced emotional closeness with their children, which in turn was linked to lower levels of expressed warmth. These results suggest that enhancing father-child closeness may be a key intervention point for improving paternal emotional availability, even in the presence of mental health concerns. Importantly, this research emphasizes the need for culturally responsive, father-centered interventions that integrate mental health support with parenting education. By acknowledging the relational dimensions of fatherhood and avoiding deficit-based comparisons across racial or cultural groups, this study advances inclusive, equity-driven approaches to policy and practice. Supporting fathers holistically, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, can foster healthier family systems and promote the well-being of both parents and children.