US Mothers Report Financial Strain, Care Gaps, and Distrust of AI
A new study reveals that U.S. mothers are experiencing financial strain, significant gaps in healthcare access, and widespread distrust of AI companies. These pressures are consistent across income levels and political affiliations.
Mothers across the United States are facing significant financial pressure, notable gaps in healthcare access, and substantial distrust of artificial intelligence companies, according to the inaugural wave of the National Benchmark of U.S. Mothers. The research, conducted by the non-partisan firm Count on Mothers, highlights consistent challenges faced by mothers regardless of their income or political viewpoints.
The study found that nearly a third (32%) of mothers skipped their own medical or mental health care in the past year due to cost, prioritizing their children's needs. Financial vulnerability is also a key concern, with 41% of mothers whose youngest child is between 13 and 15 years old stating that a single unexpected expense of $500 would lead to family debt. This indicates that families are most exposed during the early teenage years rather than during infancy.
Mental health challenges are prevalent, as nearly 4 in 10 mothers reported their child needed mental, emotional, or behavioral support in the past year, and about half of those mothers (47%) faced difficulties in obtaining the necessary care. Despite the increasing use of AI, a significant majority of mothers (65%) expressed little or no trust in AI companies to act in children's best interests. Furthermore, 62% of mothers whose children use AI for purposes beyond entertainment believe it hinders their child's problem-solving abilities and independent thinking.
An additional finding reveals that approximately one-third of mothers (32%) reported their child being marketed products illegal to sell to minors, including vapes, gambling, alcohol, cannabis, or pornography. "The Benchmark measures these factors together, as families experience them," said Melissa Lawrence, Director of Data Science at Count on Mothers. "The pressures are consistent regardless of a mother's income or political spectrum."
Jennifer Bransford, Founder and CEO of Count on Mothers, emphasized the study's aim to inform decision-makers. "Our role is to meticulously measure these conditions and present them to those making decisions for families, so they start from what families are actually experiencing."