NRFC 

Quick Statistics 

2007 

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse  101 Lake Forest Boulevard, Suite 360  Gaithersburg, MD 20877 

 Toll-free: 1 (877) 4DAD411  Fax: (301) 948-4325  www.fatherhood.gov 

Fathers and Depression 

Percentage of Major Depressive (MDD) Disorder by Gender 

Percentage of Individuals with MDD 

Gender 

National 

Comorbidity 

Survey-Baseline 

1990-1992 

National 

Comorbidity 

SurveyReplication 

2001-2003 

Men 6.1% 4.8% 

Women 11.0% 8.5% 

Source: Child Trends’ analyses of the National Comorbidity Survey-Baseline 1990-1992 and 

the National Comorbidity Survey- Replication 2001-2003 

• Men consistently report lower rates of depression than women. For example, in the 

National Comorbidity Survey – Replication 2001-2003, 8.5 percent of women reported 

major depressive disorder as compared to only 4.8 percent of men. 

Percentage of Major Depressive (MDD) Disorder by Poverty Status 

Percentage of 

Men with MDD 

Percentage of 

Fathers of 

Newborns with 

MDD 

Poverty Level 

National 

Comorbidity 

Survey Baseline 

1990-1992 

Fragile Families 

and Child Wellbeing Study 

1998-2000 

Below poverty line 

(100%) 9.1% 7.6% 

Above poverty line 5.8% 5% 

Source: Child Trends’ analyses of the National Comorbidity Survey Baseline, the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, and the 

Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, 12-Month Father Surveys (Bronte-Tinkew et al., 2007) 

• Major depression tends to be more frequent among those living below the poverty line 

among men surveyed in the National Comorbidity Study- Baseline (9.1 percent of men 

living below the poverty line as compared with 5.8 percent of men living above the 

poverty line). 

• Among fathers surveyed in the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, those living 

below the poverty line were more likely to have major depressive disorder (7.6 percent) 

when compared to those living above the poverty line (5 percent).
 

NRFC Quick Statistics 

Fathers and Depression 

1 (877)4DAD411 Page 2 of 3 www.fatherhood.gov

Percentage of Major Depressive (MDD) Disorder by Marital Status 

Percentage of Men with MDD 

Percentage of 

Fathers of 

Newborns with MDD

Marital Status 

National 

Comorbidity 

Survey Baseline 

1990-1992 

National 

Comorbidity 

SurveyReplication 2001-

2003 

Fragile Families and 

Child Well-being 

Study 

1998-2000 

Separated / Divorced 11.8% 7.3% 6.5% 

Married / Cohabitating 5.1% 3.3% 

2.7% (Married) 

.6% (Cohabitating) 

Never married 7.0% 6.9% 1.6% 

Source: Child Trends’ analyses of the National Comorbidity Survey Baseline, the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, and the 

Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, 12-Month Father Surveys (Bronte-Tinkew et al., 2007) 

• Depression is higher in individuals who are divorced or separated. There is a lower 

reported prevalence of depression among men, as well as among fathers, who are 

married, compared with men who are not married. 

Percentage of Major Depressive (MDD) Disorder by Marital Status 

Percentage of Men with 

MDD 

Percentage 

of Fathers of 

Newborns 

with MDD 

Substance 

Use 

National 

Comorbidity 

SurveyBaseline 

1990-1992 

National 

Comorbidity 

SurveyReplication 

2001-2003 

Substance 

Use 

Fragile 

Families and 

Child Wellbeing Study 

1998-2000 

Drug 

Abuse 8.8% 12.1% 

Used 

marijuana 17.1% 

No drug 

abuse 6.1% 4.6% 

Did not use 

marijuana 6.0% 

Alcohol 

abuse 5.2% 11.8% 

Used 

alcohol 15.1% 

No alcohol 

abuse 6.2% 4.4% 

Did not use 

alcohol 5.5% 

Source: Child Trends’ analyses of the National Comorbidity Survey Baseline, the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, 

and the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, 12-Month Father Surveys (Bronte-Tinkew et al., 2007) 

• Substance use disorders also commonly co-occur with depression in men. Men and 

fathers who used drugs and alcohol have a higher percentage of major depression than 

those who do not use drugs or alcohol. 
 

NRFC Quick Statistics 

Fathers and Depression 

1 (877)4DAD411 Page 3 of 3 www.fatherhood.gov

Percent of Depressed Mothers and Fathers Shortly After Birth for Children Born in 2001 

Neither 

Parent is 

Depressed 

Mother Only 

Depressed 

Father Only 

Depressed 

Both Parents 

Depressed 

78.2% 11.5% 7.4% 2.9% 

James F. Paulson, Sarah Dauber, and Jenn A. Leiferman. Individual and Combined Effects of Postpartum Depression in Mothers 

and Fathers on Parenting Behavior.Pediatrics, Aug 2006; 118: 659 - 668. 

Note: Data from the 9-month-old wave of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study 

• More mothers than fathers suffer postpartum depression. 

• For children born in 2001, 11.5 percent of couples reported that only the mother suffered 

postpartum depression while 7.4 percent reported that only the father suffered 

postpartum depression. 

• Only 2.9 percent of couples who gave birth in 2001 reported that both mother and father 

suffered postpartum depression.