* Preliminary results from an Oxford - based study suggest a higher proportion of infant -
directed negativity in the way depressed fathers talk about, and to, their infants (Sethna et al, 2009) * Depressed fathers are
less likely to read, sing songs and tell stories to their babies than other fathers — and than depressed mothers (Paulson et al, 2006), which may explain why fathers» depression has a more powerful negative impact than mothers» depression on their infants»
language development in the first year.