How fathers cope with stress may be critical to their mental health during the perinatal period. Using a sequential explanatory design for systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to identify associations and causal relations between higher- and lower-order avoidant and approach coping strategies and paternal psychopathology. We searched five electronic databases and grey literature, and used random-effects models to calculate pooled effects from 11 quantitative studies. Meta-analytic results were integrated with findings from 18 qualitative studies. Fathers' avoidant coping was positively associated with global psychopathology and depression. Approach-oriented coping, particularly problem-solving, was associated with positive affect but not psychopathology. Qualitative findings indicate distressed fathers employ avoidant coping strategies such as suppression, distraction, and social withdrawal. Approach-oriented coping strategies such as problem-solving and cognitive reappraisals appeared to be constructive components of men's coping repertoires supporting adaptation to fatherhood. Different coping strategies and approaches may reflect enactment of constrictive, moderate, or reinterpreted masculine norms. Study designs did not allow conclusions about causal relations between coping and psychopathology. Screening for, and targeting of, high avoidant coping among expectant and new fathers may help detect men at risk of or experiencing mental health difficulties and inform clinical response to psychopathology. Research examining whether different patterns of avoidant and approach coping are associated with psychopathology over time could inform interventions to support men's mental health and adaptation to fatherhood.

父亲如何应对压力可能对他们在围产期的心理健康至关重要。使用顺序解释设计进行系统评价和荟萃分析，我们旨在确定高阶和低阶回避和应对策略与父亲精神病理学之间的关联和因果关系。我们检索了 5 个电子数据库和灰色文献，并使用随机效应模型计算了 11 项定量研究的汇总效应。元分析结果与 18 项定性研究的结果相结合。父亲的回避应对与全球精神病理学和抑郁症呈正相关。以方法为导向的应对方式，尤其是解决问题的方式，与积极情绪有关，但与精神病理学无关。定性研究结果表明，陷入困境的父亲会采用回避型应对策略，例如抑制、分心和社交退缩。以方法为导向的应对策略，如解决问题和认知重新评估，似乎是支持适应父亲身份的男性应对技巧的建设性组成部分。不同的应对策略和方法可能反映了严格的、温和的或重新解释的男性规范的制定。研究设计不允许就应对和精神病理学之间的因果关系得出结论。筛查和针对准父亲和新父亲的高度回避应对可能有助于发现有心理健康困难风险或遇到心理健康困难的男性，并为临床应对精神病理学提供信息。