Harnessing Social Media and mHealth to manage adjustment to parenthood in fathers

The intervention will be delivered via a smartphone app. The intervention is designed to address core paternal postpartum depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and maintaining factors. There will be 4 modules to this intervention completed over 4 weeks, and participants will be asked to complete these modules in order. The content covering each module is as follows: (1) a values clarification and goal setting module; (2) a mindfulness meditation module, containing relaxation techniques to help manage mood; (3) a cognitive restructuring module, assisting participants to increase positive thoughts, and manage negative thoughts; and (4) a behavioural activation module, encouraging participants to increase their engagement in pleasant activities, e.g., activity planning, behaviour tracking. Participants will be encouraged to commence each new module after around 7 days, although they will be instructed that they can go at a pace that suits them. Each module will take approximately 30mins to complete, and participants will be encouraged to implement the strategies prescribed in each module on a daily basis. Each module will contain various audio recordings of a professional describing and guiding the intervention content and what is required; various quizzes to facilitate learning; text boxes for participants to read; and writing spaces for participants to record their thoughts, feelings and behaviors to certain exercises. The app also contains additional resources, including a self-monitoring tool for daily mood monitoring (with feedback graphs) and psychoeducation materials designed specifically for this study educating participants on precipitating and perpetuating factors for paternal perinatal depression, anxiety and stress. App-based notifications will be provided on a daily basis to enhance adherence to the intervention. Adherence to the intervention will be monitored through app usage analytics.