Pathological Scores for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress and Their Association with Social Support in Mothers by Employment Status

Objective: Social support is a crucial factor that can offer both preventive and protective benefits against mental problems in mothers. This study investigated the associations between social support and depression, anxiety, and stress disorders in Turkish mothers with young children. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey, comprising 27 questions and the “Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21),” was administered to mothers with children between the ages of 2–6 years. Results: Among the 542 participating mothers, 56.5% were employed, 62.2% reported receiving social support, and 53.7% of the children attended nursery or kindergarten. The percentage of participants with high depression scores (>9) was 3.9%, high anxiety scores (>7) was 9.6%, and high stress scores (>14) was 4.1%. Overall, the prevalence of abnormal Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) scores was 11.8%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that housewives had higher odds of having abnormal DASS-21 scores. Additionally, working mothers without social support and those without access to nursery care had significantly higher rates of abnormal DASS-21 scores. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of social support in improving maternal mental health, particularly for working mothers. Providing adequate social support and access to childcare can enhance maternal well-being, reduce stress, and improve self-efficacy in managing caregiving responsibilities. Future research should focus on developing policies and interventions that strengthen social support networks and improve childcare options to address mental health concerns among mothers.