Validation studies of the Perinatal Affective Assessment Scales for Fathers (PAPA) and Mothers (PAMA) in Chilean parents

Perinatal depression has been extensively studied in women, but its impact on fathers remains underexplored, despite evidence showing a prevalence of around 10% in men. This study aimed to validate the Perinatal Affective Assessment Scale for Fathers (PAPA) and its maternal counterpart (PAMA) in a Chilean population, addressing the gender-specific manifestations of perinatal affective symptoms. A quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational design was employed, including 80 fathers and 94 mothers. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed excellent fit indices for both scales. For the PAPA scale, the respecified model showed CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.004, RMSEA = 0.000 (90% CI = 0.000–0.000), and SRMR = 0.065. For the PAMA scale, the respecified model also showed CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.004, RMSEA = 0.000 (90% CI = 0.000–0.000), and SRMR = 0.046. Additionally, significant differences were observed between PAPA and PAMA scores, highlighting higher affective symptomatology among fathers. The results confirm the validity and reliability of the scales, emphasizing the importance of incorporating fathers into perinatal mental health evaluations from a dyadic perspective.