The COVID-19 pandemic turned life upside down for everyone, but for mothers, the challenges were unique. Many had to juggle working from home, helping with virtual school, and keeping the household running, all while dealing with the stress of the pandemic itself. A new study from Indonesia looked at how mothers’ mental health was affected over time, and the results show an interesting story of resilience.

Researchers followed 108 mothers from the lockdown phase in 2020 through the “new normal” phase in 2021. They wanted to see how levels of depression, anxiety, and stress changed as the world adapted to the virus.

A Story of Adaptation

The study found that while mothers’ depression levels stayed about the same throughout the pandemic, their anxiety and stress levels actually went down over time. This suggests that as time went on and people got used to the new way of life, some of the initial psychological distress began to ease.

The researchers believe that the mothers likely developed effective coping strategies over time to deal with the ongoing stress and anxiety. This ability to adapt and find new ways to manage challenges is a powerful testament to their resilience.

Who Had an Easier Time?

The study also found that a few personal factors made a big difference in a mother’s stress levels:

• Age: Older mothers reported lower levels of stress compared to younger mothers. This could be because they had more life experience and a different perspective on the challenges.
• Marriage Duration: The longer a mother had been married, the lower her stress levels were. This suggests that having a long-term, stable relationship might provide the kind of social support that helps buffer against the pressures of a crisis.

Interestingly, the number of children a mother had did not seem to consistently affect her psychological distress.

Why This Matters

This research offers crucial insights for anyone looking to support mothers’ mental health during times of crisis. It highlights the importance of providing resources that acknowledge these contextual factors. By understanding what helps mothers cope, we can create better support systems and interventions that truly make a difference.

This article is based on the research from:
Abidin, F.A., Qodariah, L., Anindhita, V. et al. Mothers’ psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemics: three-waves longitudinal study. BMC Psychol 13, 296 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02587-2