Mental health of U.S. mothers has declined sharply since 2016, study finds

The mental health of mothers in the United States has steeply declined over much of the last decade, new research shows.

Mothers reporting to have "excellent" mental health dipped significantly from 2016 to 2023, with more mothers reporting only "fair" or "poor" mental health — especially single mothers and mothers with children who were uninsured or on Medicaid, the study found. Mothers also consistently reported worse mental health statuses than fathers. MORE: Vibrating plates are among the latest weight-loss fads. But do they work?

"Maternal mood disorders, in particular, can have long-term effects on children, directly by affecting development, and indirectly, by increasing the chance of exposure to co-occurring risks such as parental substance use and lower household resources,"