Archetypal Underpinnings of Paternal Postpartum Depression: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

The present study aims to ascertain some of the archetypal underpinnings of the experience of paternal postpartum depression using the Descriptive Phenomenological Methodology of Giorgi (2009). The intention is to produce a phenomenological description of archetypal themes and patterns as they emerge in the reported experiences of fathers experiencing or having experienced emotional duress during the initial stages of fatherhood with the aim of further understanding paternal postpartum depression from a depth psychological perspective. Findings indicate the presence of eight essential themes including: strain on primary relationship, concerns regarding providing and fitness for the role of father, difficulties with the birth process, somatization and physical symptoms, emotional distance, stoicism, and aggression of father, absence of/conditional paternal involvement in the participant’s early years, and perceived parental ineptness of participant’s fathers. These eight themes are amplified and linked to seven archetypal patterns including: co-occuring Oedipal and Laius positions, birth trauma and the psychological birth of the father, entanglement of anima and animus between partners, father as fear-inducing authority figure, father hunger, devoured and devouring father, and problematic aspects of the paternal anima legacy. The study concludes with a review of limitations and delimitations along with a consideration of areas for future study.