Parent Mental Health and The Negative Effects on Children

There is a connection between the mental health of a parent, or primary caregiver, and a child. Parents who experience mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression may have more difficulty caring for their children compared to parents who do not experience mental health symptoms. And, parenting is challenging, particularly if parents lack resources and support, which can hurt a parent’s mental health. Further, parents and children may share certain vulnerabilities for mental health challenges, such as inherited risk factors, living in unsafe or under-resourced environments, and facing discrimination.

How Does Parent Mental Health Impact Children

A 2021 study found that poor mental health in parents/primary caregivers is associated with poor mental and physical health in children. The study results revealed that about 7% of children living in the US had one or more caregivers with poor mental health. Further, the study suggested that children with a caregiver with poor mental health were about four times as likely to have poor general health and about two times as likely to have a history of a developmental disorder compared to children with all caregivers with good mental health. Socioeconomic factors influence parental mental health and its impact on children. For example, children with a caregiver with poor mental health were more likely to have a history of an adverse childhood experience (a potentially traumatic experience that happens in childhood), have a single caregiver with poor physical health, and be living in poverty.

Mental health concerns can occur regardless of one’s socioeconomic factors, and mood symptoms such as anxiety and depression are common. For example, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that about 40 million American adults experience an anxiety disorder. This makes sense given that families cope with numerous stressors, such as financial strain, busy schedules, lack of childcare, relationship tension, limited time or other resources, etc., and daily stressors can take a toll on mental health.

Depression, which is also common in parents, can lead to decreased energy, motivation, and sadness, which can make it difficult for a parent to attend to a child’s needs. Or, a parent who feels depressed may physically or emotionally withdraw from their child. Children tend to model and mimic the behavior around them. Poor mental health can lead to unhelpful behaviors such as yelling, not exhibiting affection, warmth, or emotional support, or problematic substance use. Repeatedly demonstrating these behaviors to children can negatively impact their mental health and the coping skills they use as they age.

Parenting and A Child’s Mental Health

In general, children do well with a balance of support and structure. Mental health symptoms can lead to either a parent being overly rigid and strict or overly permissive, and either extreme could lead to behavioral difficulty in children.

The way parents/primary caregivers treat and interact with their children has a large impact on the children’s mental health and well-being. Providing mental health support and therapy to parents is important to improve the mood and well-being of the parent and, by association, improve health outcomes in children. For example, learning ways to effectively manage stress, anxiety, or depression, and effectively communicate with children, can set the stage for having increased capacity and ability to parent in a helpful and values-based way, and model effective coping behaviors to children. This PsychCentral article provides more information on how mental health symptoms can impact parenting and ways parents can take care of themselves.

To learn evidence-based techniques to improve your mental health and well-being, and effectively manage the challenges of parenting, please contact us at CBT Denver.