A groundbreaking study from Taiwan reveals a hidden mental health crisis among fathers, with nearly half showing significant depression symptoms. The findings offer crucial lessons for Thailand’s own overlooked paternal mental health challenges, where cultural expectations of strength often mask family-wide struggles.
The study, conducted by the Taiwan Child Welfare League Foundation in April–May 2025, surveyed 547 fathers of children under 18. Results show that 43.3 percent exhibited symptoms from moderate to extremely severe depression, and 14.4 percent faced severe or extremely severe depression requiring urgent clinical attention. Economic hardship emerged as the main stressor, with about 80 percent of fathers reporting difficulty covering household expenses since becoming parents. In many cases, these men were the family breadwinners, intensifying financial and emotional burdens carried largely alone.
The implications extend beyond Taiwan’s borders. Thailand’s mental health professionals, policymakers, and families confront similar pressures and cultural expectations. Global research indicates that fathers’ mental health is often under-monitored, despite rising depression rates among new and expectant fathers worldwide. Stigma, masculine norms, and limited screening contribute to underdiagnosis. Symptoms can include persistent sadness, anxiety, sleep problems, irritability, and difficulty bonding with children, potentially altering family dynamics and child development.
Thai researchers report parallels to Taiwan’s findings. Studies in Thailand suggest expectant Thai fathers show depressive symptoms in the mid-to-lighte r range during pregnancies, with some estimates reaching the mid-20s percent range across different groups. Yet most policy and research attention focuses on maternal depression, leaving paternal needs underrepresented in public health campaigns and service provision.
Economic insecurity deeply interlinks with family mental health. The Family Stress Model demonstrates how financial strain elevates parental distress, fuels family conflict, and undermines parenting—effects amplified when cultural expectations cast men as sole providers. In Thailand, rising living costs, inflation, and wage stagnation strain single-earner and lower-income households. Cultural norms that discourage emotional openness can deter men from seeking help.
Experts in Thai universities and clinical settings warn that paternal depression endangers family relationships and child development. When fathers struggle privately, children may show behavioral issues and anxiety, perpetuating cycles of stress and disengagement within families.
Thailand’s social landscape mirrors Taiwan’s shift toward urbanization, smaller household units, and dual-earner families. Yet healthcare systems, workplace policies, and community supports have lagged, leaving many fathers with limited access to diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing support that respects local culture and gender norms.
Current Thai mental health initiatives still prioritize maternal and child health, with limited focus on paternal needs. Some major hospitals have begun including fathers in perinatal mental health screening, but broader public campaigns still seldom address paternal depression or provide male-friendly resources.
While Thailand’s documented paternal depression rates (roughly 18–26 percent in various studies) appear lower than Taiwan’s 43 percent, experts caution against complacency. Underreporting, gaps in screening, and cultural barriers may conceal the true scope of paternal mental health challenges in Thai communities.
Thailand’s traditional family networks once offered natural buffers against parental stress. Urbanization and nuclear families, however, reduce these supports. Stoic masculine ideals persist, shaping how men respond to stress and seek help. Addressing paternal depression requires culturally attuned outreach, safe spaces for men, and routine mental health screening integrated into family health care.
Thai mental health advocates urge a shift away from the expectation that fathers must be emotionally reserved. Public health efforts should normalize conversations about paternal well-being, expand workplace mental health benefits to include fathers, and develop community programs that reach men where they are—workplaces, clinics, and local communities.
Regional innovations show promise: workplace policies that provide mental health leave for fathers, on-site support groups, and pediatric-visit-based screening can help. Internationally, experts call for family-centered prevention and intervention that supports all parents, including fathers, to protect child development and family stability.
For Thailand, these lessons signal both warning and opportunity. Early recognition, routine screening for both parents during perinatal and child health visits, expanded workplace support, and targeted outreach for economically stressed fathers can reshape outcomes. Community-based, peer-led initiatives can reduce stigma and create culturally appropriate pathways to care.
Thailand’s path forward requires coordinated action among health systems, policymakers, employers, and communities. By validating paternal mental health as a public health priority, Thailand can strengthen families, enhance educational and social outcomes, and contribute to broader national well-being.
Thai readers—fathers and mothers—should understand that economic pressures and parenting responsibilities can trigger genuine mental health challenges. Those experiencing persistent sadness, anxiety, sleep disturbances, or difficulties bonding with children should seek trusted healthcare advice, counseling resources, or local support programs designed for paternal mental health. Families and friends play a vital role by offering practical help, encouragement, and help-seeking guidance.
With sustained commitment from government, industry, and communities, Thailand can build a comprehensive support system that reaches every parent. Recognizing paternal mental health needs is a crucial step toward healthier families and stronger communities.