Mental health is top concern for parents

Mental health is the number one concern for parents with children under the age of 18. According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center, 40% of parents are "extremely" or "very" worried about their children suffering from depression or anxiety. Furthermore, parents fear that their children will be bullied. Thirty five percent say they are "extremely" or "very" worried about bullying.

These fears outweigh by a wide margin other issues that also concern parents, such as having their children kidnapped (28%), getting beat up (25%), the dangers of drugs and alcohol (23%), being shot (22%), teenage pregnancy (16%) or having some kind of problem with the police (14%).

Mothers are more concerned than fathers

The survey of 3,757 parents also revealed that mothers tend to be more concerned than fathers about their children's mental health. Forty-six percent of them said they were "extremely" or "very" worried that their children would develop anxiety or depression. Thirty-two percent are restless.

The fear of their children being bullied also alarms mothers more than fathers. Forty percent of respondents stated that they are "extremely" concerned about this issue, while only 28% of fathers were concerned with the same issue.

Whites and Hispanics are more concerned than others

Parents’ gender is not the only factor that influences their degree of concern about their children's mental health. According to the survey, race is just as important in determining whether the level of concern is higher or lower. White and Hispanic parents, at 42% and 43% respectively, are more concerned that their children may suffer from depression or anxiety than Black and Asian parents.

The percentage in these two groups is considerably lower, with only 30% of black parents and 28% of Asians feeling "extremely" or "very" concerned about this very issue.

Lower class more concerned about mental health issues

Parents’ social class also led the Pew Research Center conclude that lower-income people are more likely to express fear that their children will develop mental health problems. Forty-eight percent of lower-class parents said they were "extremely" or "very" worried that their children might have depression or anxiety. This is the same percentage that also showed fear of their children being bullied.

This group was next worried about their children being kidnapped (44%) while only 41% and 40% said they were "extremely" or "very" worried about their children being beaten or attacked on the street.

Middle-class parents, on the other hand, were somewhat less anxious about the mental problems their children might have. Thirty-eight percent said they are "extremely" worried about the possibility that their children may have anxiety and depression problems, and 33% said they feel the same way about the likelihood that their children may be victims of bullying.

Undoubtedly, the upper class is somewhat less concerned about their children having some kind of mental problem. Thirty-two percent said they felt "extremely" or "very" concerned that their children might develop anxiety or depression, while 24% were fearful that their children might be victims of any kind of bullying.