New Study: Are stay-at-home moms more at risk of depression?

updated the 15 January 2018 à 03:42

As it turns out the answer is yes, according to a study by the International Longevity Centre.

Could stay-at-home mothers and fathers be more likely to suffer from mental health problems?

As it turns out the answer is yes, according to a study by the International Longevity Centre.

In the study, men and women who identified “homemakers” at age 55 were more likely to suffer psychological problems in both their childhood and adulthood, compared to other demographic groups.

For one, those who dealt with mental health issues as children are 2.8 times more likely to become a homemaker at age 55. Why? University of Kent Professor Sarah Vickerstaff, who spearheaded the research, attributed this partly to the fact that struggling with mental health problems meant that they were less likely to stay in work as adults, only to have the problems aggravated by them being out of work as adults.

The mental distress was also found to be stronger among men, hinting that they were more adversely affected by being out of work.

The study sought to establish whether mental distress experienced in childhood could be a factor in an individual’s employment later in their adult lives, and also discovered that homemakers needed far more mental health support than previously thought.

Moving Forward

What are the next steps then? For one, earlier intervention among individuals at all ages to help them stay in work even as they grow older. In particular, early intervention for children who struggle with mental health is key to reducing the incidence of mental distress later in their lives.

Sarah Khan

Photo: Getty Images

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Marie France Asia, women's magazine