A newly published study tracking nearly 200,000 mothers has found a significant decline in moms’ mental health across the United States from 2016 to 2023. According to research utilizing data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, the percentage of mothers reporting “excellent” mental health plummeted from 38.4% to just 25.8%, while reports of “fair” or “poor” mental health climbed from 5.5% to 8.5% in that period. While external factors such as the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic stressors are well documented, researchers and mental health experts are now probing the role of “overparenting”—the growing tendency for parents to become overly involved in their children’s emotional and practical lives—as a potentially underrecognized source of chronic stress and burnout among mothers (Boston Globe).
This steep drop in maternal well-being carries important implications not only for American families but also for Thai parents, policymakers, and mental health professionals. In a global context where parenting trends and anxieties often cross borders through social media and evolving cultural expectations, Thailand faces many of the same challenges: demanding work-life balances, ever-higher academic pressures for children, and shifting ideals about what constitutes “good parenting.” Understanding the U.S. findings can illuminate pressures felt by Thai mothers—particularly in Thailand’s urban, educated populations—and inform local responses to emerging mental health threats.
The study’s most glaring finding is that mothers from all socioeconomic backgrounds—not just those in higher-income groups—are reporting worsening mental health. Notably, while much prior research in maternal mental health has focused on the perinatal period (pregnancy to up to six months postpartum), this latest analysis spans mothers with children aged from newborns up to 17 years old, confirming mental health struggle is a persistent, long-term issue, not a short-lived postpartum phenomenon.
Mental health experts quoted in the Boston Globe article, such as clinicians and child psychologists, emphasize that the roots of this problem run deeper than pandemic isolation and economic instability. One expert explained: “The study highlights a decline in maternal mental health across the sociodemographic spectrum, suggesting there’s more here than just structural factors like access to resources or housing insecurity. We need to discuss the cultural factors shaping this generation of parents, namely the pervasive message that parenting is both extremely high-stakes and controllable.” This observation resonates in many Asian cultures, including among Thai mothers in competitive social environments, where comparisons among families, academic performance pressures and the influence of “intensive parenting” models are increasingly visible.
Overparenting—or what some call “intensive parenting” or “snowplow parenting”—is defined not merely by helicopter-like oversight of a child’s daily activities, but by two persistent and deeply held beliefs. First, that negative emotions such as fear, sadness, shame, and boredom are inherently harmful to children and should be avoided at all costs. Second, that the parent bears sacred responsibility for managing not only their child’s environment but also their inner world and emotional state. This belief system leads to behavioral patterns where parents attempt to shield children from failure, disappointment, and distress—sometimes intervening directly with teachers, coaches, or other authority figures to prevent children from experiencing discomfort.
Such patterns, according to experts, may paradoxically erode a child’s ability to build resilience, and, crucially, leave mothers (who are most often the primary caregivers) feeling perpetually responsible for their child’s happiness and outcomes. Research cited in the Boston Globe article reveals that about 95–98% of parents of anxious children adapt their own behavior to reduce their child’s distress—a clinical phenomenon called “parental accommodation.” Even in non-clinical populations, approximately 25% of parents say they change their actions daily to avoid distressing their children. The net effect, warn psychologists, is a vicious cycle: “With good intentions, a parent swoops in to cushion distress. The child receives the message that they cannot cope alone, reinforcing both the child’s anxiety and the parent’s sense of unending responsibility.”
These findings present both a challenge and opportunity for Thai society. Western parenting trends—particularly those emphasizing achievement and emotional management—have been actively imported into urban Thai households through books, websites, and social media groups. The intense competition around school admissions, private tutoring, and extra-curricular success in Bangkok and larger provincial cities has seeded anxieties among mothers mirroring those in the U.S.; namely, the fear that any misstep might irreparably harm a child’s prospects or mental health.
Culturally, Thailand has long valued community-based, extended family childrearing, with grandparents, aunts, and uncles sharing caregiving roles. However, the rise of nuclear family households and urban migration has left many mothers isolated, with responsibility resting squarely on their shoulders. As family structures evolve, there is mounting anecdotal evidence that Thai mothers experience similar “overparenting” stress, especially those in middle- and upper-middle-class families striving to “keep up” in socially competitive school environments.
While more research is needed to establish direct links between overparenting and maternal mental health in the Thai context, local mental health specialists at urban hospitals have signaled rising rates of anxiety and burnout among mothers. As one Thai child psychologist at a leading Bangkok hospital noted in a recent public forum: “We see mothers feeling trapped in a cycle of achievement—both for themselves and their children. Many express guilt and worry that if they do not intervene at every setback, their child will fail. But this can lead to depression and exhaustion, especially when support structures are weak or absent.”
Regionally, Thai culture still carries nuanced differences compared to Western societies. For example, while deference to teachers and respect for authority is a Thai value, parents today more frequently intervene on behalf of their children in school disputes and academic struggles. Social media further amplifies anxiety; mothers share images of child development milestones, academic awards, and enrichment activities, creating a climate of silent competition and comparison. A study from Chulalongkorn University in 2023 highlighted the increasing use of social media parenting forums in Thailand, with mothers reporting both social support and social anxiety as they measure themselves and their parenting against online peers (Bangkok Post).
Globally, experts urge a return to a “love and limits” paradigm—balancing warmth and support with clear, age-appropriate boundaries and encouraging children to experience setbacks as opportunities for growth. One recommended approach is to validate a child’s distress (e.g., “That was a tough homework assignment”), offer support (“Let me know if you need ideas or a hug”), and then step back, allowing the child space to cope and problem-solve independently. This builds resilience in children and, over time, can reduce chronic stress in mothers.
For Thailand, the implications of these findings are profound as the country invests in early childhood education and mental health initiatives. Policymakers could consider programs to support parental well-being, counseling services, and public awareness campaigns promoting balanced parenting. Thai healthcare providers might also develop culturally appropriate interventions to encourage mothers to seek support—destigmatizing the admission of parental struggles and reducing the pressure to embody the “perfect parent.”
Looking ahead, researchers and advocates suggest several actionable recommendations for Thai parents and communities:
- Recognize that discomfort and failure are natural, necessary parts of child development. Allowing children to confront and navigate challenges, within safe and reasonable limits, builds psychological strength.
- Seek support from extended family, friends, and professional counselors if feeling overwhelmed by caregiving demands.
- Use social media mindfully, remembering that curated images and stories from other parents may not reflect reality, and avoid constant comparisons.
- Encourage schools to offer parent education workshops, focusing on child resilience, emotional self-regulation, and the benefits of gradual independence.
- Advocate for more research and dialogue around maternal mental health and parenting pressures specific to the Thai context.
For Thai mothers and families, this new research from the U.S. should spur reflection rather than alarm. As one Western expert concluded: “We parents have to notice the waters we’re swimming in, to become curious about our own behaviors and beliefs. Building resilience in our kids means first tolerating our own distress at their setbacks. Over time, this benefits both child and parent.” By drawing on Thai traditions of collective care while integrating evidence-based, balanced parenting, Thailand can chart a healthier path for its families—reducing caregiver burnout and supporting the next generation’s well-being.
For readers seeking immediate support, the Department of Mental Health offers free resources and counseling hotlines. Local hospitals and health centers in Bangkok and major provinces now provide parenting workshops and stress management groups; details can be found on the Ministry of Public Health’s website (กรมสุขภาพจิต).