Mothers of young children may be susceptible to mental health problems. Lack of emotional support, financial worries and feeling trapped by parenting duties can lead to depression and other mental disorders. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles studied over 1700 mothers with children ranging in age from 4 to 35 months. The participants were asked to fill out questionnaires. The mothers who reported a lack of emotional support were 3 times more likely to suffer from poor psychological health. Women who professed to have no help with child care duties had twice the risk of mental distress while mothers who felt they spent too much time alone with the kids were at a fourfold risk.

The evidence points to a basic need for family members to help and support young mothers and boost their morale.