Parenting and Infant Mental Health in European Countries

Abstract

The twentieth and twenty-first centuries have increased knowledge on the importance of parenting for infant mental health, while parenting has experienced changes and particularly the involvement of fathers in child rearing has increased. At the same time both women and men have problems more frequently in combining work and family commitments when there are children at home, and new potential risks for parenting, like use of smart devices and internet, have appeared. In this chapter, we will review studies on current strengths and problems of parenting in different parts of Europe, and on services provided for supporting parents and mental well-being of young children.