Psychiatric Disorders and Substance Dependence among Unmarried Low-Income Mothers

The study reported in this article examined the prevalence of mental health disorders and the sociodemographic factors associated with having a mental health disorder in a probability sample of 185 African American and white single mothers. Logistic regression analyses revealed that race (being white) and being on welfare were associated with increased risk of having a mental health disorder, when controlling for other sociodemographic variables. The association of welfare status and psychiatric disorders highlights the need for access to mental health services for this population. Implications for low-income women making the transition from welfare to employment are discussed.