Fatherhood as a psychological phenomenon. Review of modern foreign literature

The article provides a literature review of contemporary foreign studies on the topic of paternity. The mental health of children and adults is closely connected with the parent figures. Historically, the father’s figure stood out in the work of psychologists, thus it was practically not studied by them. Modern studies not only confirm the equal importance of the maternal and paternal figures, but also highlights the specific influence of fathers. Direct influence extends to cognitive development, socio-emotional competence, as well as physical similarity. The indirect influence of fathers (through their relationships with mothers) on psychological well-being of the child, child's behavior and child-parent relationships in general has also been noted by scholars. The role of the father positively affects the psychological health of men and their well-being in general. The advancement of the phenomenon of “new fatherhood” is a global trend and it contributes not only to improving the mental health of the population, but also to a more comprehensive study of paternal problems.

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