JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Perinatal mental health issues are now recognised as a global and significant public health concern. The global prevalence of Postnatal Depression (PND) is approximately 17.22%, and up to 10% for fathers in Australia. While there is limited application of serious games to PND in fathers at present, there are analogous games for improving depression treatment, adherence, and engagement.

Objective:

This scoping review aims to examine technology-based interventions and serious games for PND and depression in fathers and non-birthing parents, identifying their design, effectiveness, and acceptability.

Methods:

Guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework, a comprehensive literature search was conducted between February and April 2025 across eight electronic databases. The screening process was conducted in three stages: title screening, abstract screening, and full-text screening. Articles were assessed to ensure they met all three inclusion criteria. Discrepancies or uncertainties during screening were resolved in discussion with a third reviewer, and consensus was reached in all cases after this discussion, which clarified inclusion eligibility.

Results:

There are only three studies met eligibility criteria following double screening. Across the included studies, findings indicate an emerging but limited evidence base. Although several interventions demonstrated promising signals of effectiveness and were generally well accepted by participants, the robustness of these findings is constrained by methodological weaknesses, heterogeneous outcome measures, and inconsistent reporting standards. There is very limited research focused on fathers and paternal PND and wellbeing. Evidence remains largely short-term, with most trials assessing outcomes only within the first ten weeks postpartum, leaving the long-term impact on paternal mental health, partner relationships, and father–infant bonding underexplored.

Conclusions:

The findings suggest that digital technologies provide a promising means of engaging fathers during the perinatal period by offering timely, accessible, and scalable support. Short message services, social media platforms, and online video resources can reduce barriers associated with time, geography, and stigma, making them well-suited to fathers who may otherwise be under-reached by conventional perinatal services. Importantly, features such as humour, baby-centred messaging, and daily digital check-ins demonstrate how interventions can be tailored to maintain engagement and encourage the translation of knowledge into everyday supportive behaviours.