Up to 1 in 10 fathers experience postnatal depression, yet fathers are less likely than mothers to seek help or to receive adequate treatment. Digital treatments have particular promise for increasing accessibility, privacy, and convenience for men in the postpartum period, but prior to this study no validated online program had been shown effective specifically for fathers with clinically diagnosed postnatal depression. The DadBooster program was developed to address this treatment gap using established cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles tailored for fathers.
The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of the online CBT program DadBooster for treating postnatal depression in fathers, compared with a waitlist control receiving routine care. Primary endpoints were symptom severity at 12 weeks and diagnostic remission at 12 weeks.
This was a parallel, two-group randomized controlled trial with N=50 participants enrolled and randomized 1:1 to DadBooster (n=25) or waitlist control (n=25). Randomization was computer-generated and allocation concealment was preserved through central, computer-automated administration.
Eligibility criteria required fathers to be aged 18 years or older, to have a baby younger than 12 months, and to meet diagnostic criteria for depression on the Quick Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (QuickSCID-5). Fathers who were already receiving depression treatment or who met criteria for other mental health disorders were excluded. Recruitment occurred Australia-wide. Data collection combined online questionnaires and telephone-based clinical assessments.
Participants were not blinded to allocation. However, the diagnostic assessments (QuickSCID-5) and data analysis were conducted blind to group assignment.
DadBooster is an internet-delivered CBT program designed specifically for fathers with postnatal depression. The source abstract does not detail the program content, session structure, or duration beyond reporting participant engagement metrics. Participants in the intervention arm accessed DadBooster online; the control arm was a waitlist receiving routine care.
Primary outcome measures assessed at 12 weeks were:
Secondary outcomes reported included stress (DASS subscale), parenting self-efficacy, and negative automatic thoughts. Assessments were completed online and via telephone, with the QuickSCID-5 interviews and data analysis performed blind to allocation.
At 12 weeks, mean depression symptom scores (DASS-21) were significantly lower in the DadBooster group than in the waitlist control. The adjusted mean difference was -7.26 (95% CI -11.34 to -3.18), with an F statistic of 1,47=12.81 and P <.001; the effect size reported was ηp2=0.21. In absolute terms, average DASS-21 scores in the DadBooster group fell by 72% from baseline and dropped to the “normal” range at 12 weeks, compared with a 40% reduction in the waitlist control group.
Diagnostic remission as measured by QuickSCID-5 at 12 weeks showed fewer DadBooster participants meeting criteria for depression: 2 of 23 assessed (9%) in DadBooster versus 7 of 24 (29%) in waitlist. This difference did not reach statistical significance (Fisher exact test P =.14) according to the source abstract.
Significant between-group differences favoring DadBooster were reported for several secondary measures at 12 weeks:
These findings indicate improvements in both psychological symptomatology and parenting-related outcomes for fathers using the online program.
Engagement with DadBooster was high: 80% (20 of 25) of participants in the intervention arm visited four or more sessions. Attrition was low across the trial. The abstract reports that no adverse events were identified during the study period.
This randomized controlled trial demonstrates the efficacy of DadBooster, the first online treatment reported to target clinically diagnosed paternal postnatal depression. The program produced substantial reductions in self-reported depression symptoms (DASS-21), brought average symptom scores into the normal range by 12 weeks, and improved stress, parenting self-efficacy, and negative automatic thoughts relative to a waitlist control.
Although diagnostic remission rates favored DadBooster, the difference in remission by QuickSCID-5 interview at 12 weeks did not reach statistical significance in this sample. Engagement and low attrition suggest good acceptability among participating fathers, and no adverse events were reported.
Given the accessibility, privacy, and convenience of an online CBT program, DadBooster may offer a scalable option to address a previously underserved population—fathers with postnatal depression. The source abstract does not report longer-term follow-up, detailed program content, cost-effectiveness, or implementation outcomes; those details were not provided in the source and would be relevant for broader adoption and policy decisions.