TABLE 2.

Qualitative themes and representative quotes.

Topic area 1: Fathers’ experiences during the postpartum period
Theme	Sample quotes
Lack of knowledge of post-partum mental health conditions	“I wasn’t thinking it was a depression at the moment, I thought that she was just having a hard time” “I am sure most guys don’t know what post-partum is” “I never seen nothing like this in my life. I’ve never seen this. I’ve never even heard about it”
Empathy and desire to help partner	“Anything to help her out” “I don’t, I don’t like seeing her hurt like that” “I do want to provide the support that she need for her to get better”
Challenges of work-life balance	“I was working a lot so I wasn’t exactly home too much” “I was like extremely exhausted between helping her get through the depression, me working sort a two jobs at once, and taking care of the baby with no sleep”
Fathers’ emotional experiences and distress during the perinatal period	“I was really worried” “I was scared” “I think that mentally I wasn’t ready for all these things” “I kind of felt like I was trapped in a way” “My life seemed like it was turned upside-down” “Talking about your feelings isn’t something that normally think of as a me, or a “guy” thing to do” “I got to be strong for all of us”
Topic area 2: Fathers’ views on postpartum relationships
Theme	Sample quotes
Communication problems and tension in the couple’s relationship	“The thing is that we have communication problems, we don’t talk about the problems ourselves” “The main problem we have is communication, we don’t communicate too well”
Role transitions during perinatal period and problem solving as a couple	“Talk about the ultimate test: having a baby” “I had to learn real quick [to do child care]” “Once the baby came along… we pretty much rolled uphill from there”
Feelings of love, closeness, appreciating time together	“I’d love to spend time with you like take a weekend and just go” “Bring ourselves back to the level of calmness and loving each other again” “I certainly feel like if we can get through (this) we can get through anything”
Experiencing support from and tension with family members	“If it wasn’t for my mother, I think she could have gotten over the postpartum depression [sooner]” “I do really feel stuck in the middle [of mother and wife]” “Guys at work were a big help, my parents, her parents, her family”
Relationship with baby	“I want… to make [our relationship] work because I want to be with my kid and I want to see them grow and everything” “I focused a lot on [my baby] and making sure he was taken care of” “I don’t want our kids subjected to that kind of stuff [tension with family”
Topic area 3: Fathers’ attitudes toward mental health treatment
Theme	Sample quotes
Openness and benefits to being involved in treatment	“It was really great that [clinician] did actually call me if she hadn’t called me. I wouldn’t have known [what their partner was struggling with]” “It’s like I understand where she’s coming from, and it’s like I’m trying just To help her get through it” “The lady there just telling me about everything that, like telling about how she’s feeling that’s when I really understood and like it motivated me to help her”
Barriers, challenges and strategies for involving family members in treatment	“It’s hard to go up there and talk to somebody” “I think the flexibility [in scheduling treatment] would be more of an issue” “[If the therapist] came to the home? That would be awesome” “Well, if she needs you there for your support, just be there, cause you want her to do the same for you” “If you really care about the kid, you will be there [in treatment]”