A recent study has turned prevailing assumptions about parenting on their head, revealing that fathers are experiencing higher levels of loneliness, overwhelming pressures, and emotional stress compared to mothers—a trend that challenges longstanding social narratives and has critical implications for families in Thailand and globally. According to new research summarised in El Adelantado de Segovia, comprehensive nationwide surveys conducted in the United States highlight that American fathers are struggling with deeper feelings of isolation and heavier emotional strain than their female counterparts, shining a light on a frequently overlooked aspect of the modern parenting experience.
For Thai readers, this shift in understanding parental mental health matters deeply. Traditionally in Thailand, as in much of Asia, mothers are viewed as primary caregivers and sources of emotional support, while fathers have been seen largely as breadwinners, sometimes distanced from daily emotional labor at home. This paradigm, however, does not insulate fathers from profound emotional challenges. The new findings suggest that the silent emotional battles faced by fathers may be both under-acknowledged and undertreated, raising important questions about family well-being, child development, and the evolving expectations of fatherhood in contemporary Thai society.
The study reported by El Adelantado de Segovia draws on two large-scale, recent surveys in the US that tapped into the lived experience of fathers. Researchers found that the solitude many fathers report feeling is seldom an act of “recharging”; rather, it is symptomatic of a growing sense of emotional isolation. Unlike previous assumptions that mothers invariably endure greater emotional burdens, this study surfaces a reversal in which men, too, struggle deeply with the pressures of family life—often alone. This builds on a growing body of research, as reflected in a related story by NBC5, that paternal mental health is not only fundamental to fathers themselves but plays a crucial role in their child’s emotional and developmental outcomes (NBC5 report).
Additional analysis from a review on the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) PMC platform underscores that loneliness among parents is widespread: about two-thirds (66%) of parents in general report feeling isolated or lonely, with around 62% also feeling burned out by the demands of constant parenting (OSU College of Nursing). Although mothers’ loneliness has long been studied due to its clear impact on children’s outcomes, this comprehensive review finds that fathers’ isolation is often both more severe and less publicly discussed. Furthermore, a U.S. government report finds approximately 65% of parents (and 77% of single parents, regardless of gender) report experiencing loneliness at much higher rates than non-parents (HHS report, PDF).
Expert perspectives are beginning to reshape the conversation around fatherhood. One clinical psychologist at a leading U.S. university, quoted in the El Adelantado report, states, “Fathers are caught in a paradox—they are expected to be both acutely involved and emotionally resilient, yet rarely encouraged to speak about struggles or seek support.” Similarly, family development researchers highlight the “invisible pressures” that fathers face, such as financial responsibility in uncertain economies, societal expectations to model stoicism, and the growing demand to be present emotionally and physically for children.
For Thai families, these international findings have significant resonance. In Thailand, generational divides often dictate that fathers keep emotional hardships to themselves, in accordance with values of stoicism and sacrifice. As Thai society rapidly urbanizes and new forms of family organization emerge—especially in Bangkok and other major cities—many fathers find themselves balancing breadwinning, household duties, and the emotional needs of children and partners, often with limited social support. During the Covid-19 pandemic, this cocktail of responsibilities intensified, with higher unemployment among males, more time spent at home, and limited community-based support events for fathers compared to mothers.
Thai cultural context further reveals why fathers’ loneliness may go under-recognized. Fathers are often discouraged from expressing vulnerability, with many Thai proverbs and popular expressions extolling the virtues of “enduring with a smile” or being a “pillar” for the family, even in emotional hardship. As a result, fathers may be less likely to participate in mental health services or peer-support groups—a trend recognized by mental health advocates and Thai academic researchers (Chiang Mai University research summary on parental mental health). Compounding this, family routines and traditional gender roles in rural provinces reinforce emotional distance between fathers and their children compared to urban families, limiting fathers’ opportunities for support.
Globally, these findings are part of a larger, ongoing re-evaluation of how gender impacts parental mental health. For years, research such as the well-known Cornell University study found mothers reported greater day-to-day emotional stress (Times of India article). But new surveys indicate that as social roles shift and expectations on fathers increase, men are now equally at risk—and possibly more so—for the psychological challenges of parenting.
Looking forward, health experts stress the need for both policy and community solutions. Increasingly, Western governments and healthcare providers are offering counselling, hotlines, and peer support programs specifically for fathers. For example, research on paternal postpartum depression, a once-neglected issue, is now being incorporated into guidelines for routine family health checkups (PhillyVoice). In Thailand, nascent efforts by NGOs and some progressive schools are beginning to address fathers’ mental wellbeing, but more targeted interventions are needed—especially outside urban centres.
For Thai policymakers and educators, the message from this research is clear. Supporting fathers through community-based mental health programmes, promoting workplace flexibility for men as well as women, and creating safe spaces for men to share the realities of family life could help address the silent epidemic of paternal loneliness. Encouragingly, some companies and family health clinics in Bangkok have piloted workshops and online forums exclusively for fathers to discuss emotional and parenting challenges. Expanding such initiatives nationally could help de-stigmatize paternal mental health needs.
In summary, the latest research upends simplistic narratives about gender and parental stress, underlining that fathers’ emotional lives are as complex and vulnerable as those of mothers. For Thai society—where the role of the father is rapidly evolving—recognizing this new reality is vital to family resilience and the healthy development of the next generation.
For Thai families, practical steps might include normalizing conversations about mental health between fathers and other family members, allocating time for fathers to participate in parenting networks or counselling if needed, and lobbying school and community leaders to provide resources not just for mothers’ wellbeing but for all parents. For individuals, checking in regularly with the fathers in their lives, offering a listening ear, or helping connect them to support resources can go a long way towards breaking the wall of isolation that so many men quietly endure.
For readers seeking more information, support is available through the Thai Department of Mental Health’s hotline and through organizations such as the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, which publish Thai-language guides on parental well-being and mental self-care.