The Mental Health Challenges Faced by Men During Spousal Pregnancy: A Case Study of the Thulamela Municipality in the Vhembe Region of Limpopo, South Africa
Hangandifhi Sepoli 
, Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane & Reginald Ndwamai
Issue: Vol.6 No.10 Article 19 pp.2503 – 2518
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561019 | Published online 26th September, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Pregnancy is a transformation period not only for women but also for their partners. While the mental health of expectant mothers has been extensively studied, the mental health challenges faced by men during the pregnancy of their wives have remained under-explored, particularly in villages around South Africa. This study therefore investigated the mental health challenges encountered by men during their partners’ pregnancy in the Thulamela Municipality of Limpopo Province in South Africa. The Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura helped in undergirding this study. A qualitative approach was employed, using an exploratory research design. Participants were selected through non-probability purposive and snowball sampling techniques, to make their contributions to the mental health of men during their wives’ pregnancy and after delivery of the child. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings highlight that men experience significant emotional and psychological challenges, including anxiety, stress, and depression, often exacerbated by financial pressures and societal expectations. The paper makes an immense contribution especially in the context of the studies on mental health.
Keywords: Challenges, Depression, Men, Mental health, Pregnancy.
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Sepoli Hangandifhi is a research psychologist specializing in gender studies and psychosocial development. He holds a B.A. in Youth in Development, an Honours degree in Psychology, and a Master’s in Psychology from the University of Venda. In addition, he obtained a postgraduate certificate in Human Development Psychology from Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania. His research interests include men’s mental health, gender dynamics, and inclusive education in both African and European contexts.
Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane Professor Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane is a scholar whithin the discipline of Gender studies and International Education, and presently a professor at the University of Venda, South Africa. He holds a in doctoral degree in international Education from the University of Massachusetts(USA). He obtained his Master of Science degree in Community Economic Development which he attained with a cum laude, at the Manchester State University in Manchester in 1998. He was actively involved in the Liberation Struggle in South Africa and was subsequently arrested under the state of emergency from 1985 until 1988.Upon his release, he went to exile in the US after his life was threatened by the oppressive apartheid regime. For the past 20 years, Prof.Thobejane worked as the Director for the School of International Training which was based in Brattleboro ( USA) and was later deployed to South Africa where this institution had a satellite campus in Durban,South Africa.He also worked as a qualified Teacher at Somavunga High School based in Limpopo,South Africa. Thus far, he as published close to 70 articles and four books in the area of politics,gender and Education. He has also delivered keynote addresses and has organized conferences at the University of Venda and abroad. His articles have received more than 800 citations internationally. He presently serves as an external examiner for many Universities while also serving as a peer reviewer for many journals. Prof Thobejane is blessed with two girls aged 16 and twenty five as well as one boy aged nine years.
Reginald Ndwamai is a part time lecturer in the Department of Human Resource Management and Labour Relations at Tswane University of Technology and PhD candidate at University of Venda, South Africa. His teaching and research interests focus on labour relations, workplace wellness, and organizational behaviour. He has contributed to studies examining employee well-being, leadership, and the intersection of human resource practices with mental health.
Sepoli, Hangandifhi, Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane, and Reginald Ndwamai .“The Mental Health Challenges Faced by Men During Spousal Pregnancy: A Case Study of the Thulamela Municipality in the Vhembe Region of Limpopo, South Africa,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 10 (2025): 2503 – 2518, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561019
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
