A recent survey by Taiwan’s Child Welfare League Foundation has uncovered that over 43% of Taiwanese fathers with children under 18 show signs of depression, a figure described by local experts as “staggeringly high.” With economic stress emerging as the chief culprit, the findings are sparking urgent conversations not only in Taiwan, but also throughout Asia where paternal mental health is often overlooked—including in Thailand, which faces similar social and economic pressures on young families.
The new survey, conducted in April-May 2025 and released just ahead of Taiwan’s Father’s Day, assessed 547 fathers using the widely recognized Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). Of those surveyed, 43.3% exhibited symptoms of moderate to extremely severe depression; 14.4% were categorized as having severe or extremely severe depression, signaling a serious public health concern (Focus Taiwan). Economic hardship was the most frequently cited source of distress, with nearly 80% of fathers reporting difficulty covering household expenses since becoming parents. The study further revealed that nearly two-thirds were the primary breadwinner in their family, magnifying the financial and emotional burden they carry.
This research has raised red flags far beyond Taiwan. International studies confirm that fathers’ mental health is often poorly monitored, even as mounting evidence indicates high rates of depression among new and expectant fathers globally. Wikipedia’s overview of paternal depression emphasizes that, while parental depression has long been studied in mothers, men are underdiagnosed due to cultural stigma, societal expectations, and lack of targeted mental health screening. Symptoms—including persistent sadness, anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbances, and difficulty bonding with children—can arise anytime from pregnancy through the child’s young adulthood, impacting both family dynamics and child development (Wikipedia - Paternal depression).
In Thailand, local academic research is beginning to catch up. A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports found that 18.4% of expectant Thai fathers screened positive for depressive symptoms during their partners’ pregnancies, while other sources cite rates as high as 26% in various contexts (Nature - Paternal depressive symptoms and factors associated among expectant fathers; Springer - Paternal perinatal mental health support: fathers’ perspectives). However, most attention in both research and social policy remains focused on maternal depression, echoing trends in much of East and Southeast Asia. As a result, fathers’ mental health needs risk being overshadowed—potentially to the detriment of not just the individual, but the entire household.
Exploring the context behind these numbers reveals the deep ties between economic insecurity, stress, and family wellbeing. Studies from around the globe show that financial worries are powerful drivers of parental mental health struggles. The Family Stress Model, for instance, documents how economic hardship elevates parents’ psychological distress, fuels family conflicts, and can lead to less supportive parenting practices (PMC - The Family Model Stress and Maternal Psychological Symptoms; PMC - The Effects of Economic Hardship: Testing the Family Stress Model; BMC Public Health - Financial crisis and its association with parental stress and mental health). In Asia, where cultural expectations often cast men as principal providers, economic stress tends to weigh especially heavily on fathers, who may feel unable to express vulnerability or seek support.
The Taiwanese study found that 59.6% of fathers described their finances as “stretched”, with 16.6% reporting that their salaries often fell short of meeting family needs. This pattern is reflected in Thailand, where inflation, stagnant wages, and high household debt have placed intense pressure on families in recent years (World Bank - Thailand Economic Monitor). The rising costs of rent, education, childcare, and healthcare are felt especially keenly by single-income and lower-income households. Culturally, Thai fathers may be less likely to discuss emotional distress—a dynamic attributed by social scientists to traditional notions of masculinity and “saving face” in Thai society.
Expert perspectives from Taiwan, Thailand, and the region are unanimous: paternal depression is not only real, but carries significant consequences. “When a father suffers from persistent depression, the risk of poor family relationships increases and the wellbeing of children declines,” warns a clinical psychologist at a leading Thai university hospital. “We see behavioral issues and anxiety in children mirroring their fathers’ distress, not just mothers’.” This compounding cycle of stress and mental ill health has spurred a handful of Thai NGOs to quietly introduce targeted mental health outreach to fathers, though such programs remain rare and underpublicized.
The broader context is critical. Thailand, like Taiwan, has undergone major social change in recent decades. Urbanization, shifts away from extended families, and the dawning of dual-earner households have changed the fabric of parenting. Yet care models, workplace policies, and health systems have not always kept pace. Most public mental health campaigns in Thailand still emphasize maternal and child health, leaving fathers with few accessible pathways for diagnosis or support (WHO Thailand - Creating awareness on prevention and control of depression). Only in recent years have some larger hospitals started screening both mothers and fathers during perinatal mental health assessments.
Comparatively, prevalence statistics in Thailand (18–26% of fathers, depending on the study and period) remain lower than the near-43% reported in the new Taiwanese research. However, experts caution against a sense of complacency: cultural and methodological differences can mask the true scale of paternal depression, especially when stigma causes underreporting (PubMed - Paternal depressive symptoms and factors associated among expectant fathers in Thailand). In both countries, the pressures of parenting combine with economic volatility, especially for single-earner and working-class households, heightening the risk for those who lack social support.
The cultural and historical context in Thailand is instructive. For generations, Thai families relied on extended kin for caregiving and emotional support, but today’s urban nuclear families often lack these buffers. Fathers are expected to be stoic providers, and community support structures specifically for men are largely absent. This social landscape shapes how men perceive stress—and how likely they are to seek help. “We need to challenge the idea that a father should only be strong and silent,” says a leading Thai mental health advocate. “Silence is damaging not only to the father, but to his whole family.”
Looking ahead, Thailand could learn from both the cautionary tale—and emerging action—elsewhere in Asia. Several East Asian communities are experimenting with workplace policies that normalize parental mental health leave for fathers, onsite support groups, and routine screening by pediatricians and family doctors—not just OB/GYNs. Taiwanese campaigners have called for government action ahead of Father’s Day, urging policymakers to prioritize paternal mental health in family welfare policies. There is growing international consensus that prevention and intervention must be family-wide—not focused exclusively on mothers (HHS.gov - Parental Mental Health & Well-Being).
For Thailand, the message is both sobering and hopeful. Recognition is the first step. Routine mental health screenings for both parents, expanded workplace mental health benefits, and targeted outreach to fathers—particularly those under financial strain—may all help. Cultivating community and peer-led support (for example, through local health promotion funds) can also break down barriers of stigma and isolation. Such reforms not only improve fathers’ wellbeing, but also ensure healthier, happier families and children.
For Thai readers, fathers and mothers alike, the takeaway is clear: economic worries and the responsibilities of parenting are real—and seeking help should not be a source of shame or weakness. Men experiencing persistent sadness, anxiety, loss of interest, or difficulty coping with family obligations should consider reaching out to trusted healthcare providers, counseling hotlines, or local support initiatives. Friends and relatives can play a vital role by offering support and encouraging those at risk to seek help. With concerted efforts by healthcare, policymakers, and communities, Thailand can ensure that mental health is supported for every member of the family.
Sources: Focus Taiwan, Nature - Prevalence of depressive symptoms among expectant Thai fathers, Wikipedia - Paternal depression, WHO Thailand, BMC Public Health - Financial crisis and its association with parental stress and mental health, World Bank - Thailand Economic Monitor, Springer - Paternal perinatal mental health support, PubMed - Paternal depressive symptoms Thailand.