* 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.