Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Parents With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Research indicates that an increasing number of adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are becoming parents. Parents with ID face multiple challenges that increase their mental health risks. In order to ensure better detection and tailored care for parents with ID, this systematic review aimed to summarise the prevalence of mental disorders in parents with ID during pregnancy, postpartum and parenthood.

Studies included individuals with clinically diagnosed ID who had experienced pregnancy or parenthood and reported prevalence figures of mental disorders. Searches of MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, EMBASE and grey literature were conducted from inception to July 2025. Risk of bias was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

The review identified 10 studies involving 42 207 individuals aged 18-58 years. Across the studies, the prevalence of mental disorders specifically during pregnancy was not reported; two studies screened women within 12 months postpartum; the remaining studies included parents of children aged 0-21 years. The results indicate an overall prevalence of 45% for any mental disorder in parents with ID. Studies using screening tools reported prevalence rates of up to 63% for depression, 30% for anxiety and 17% for psychosis. One large cohort study assessing mental health over the perinatal period reported increased odds of all mental disorders in mothers with ID. Due to the heterogeneity of methodologies used across studies data was not pooled.

This review indicates a high prevalence of mental disorders in parents with ID. The findings highlight the need for tailored screening and support for parents with ID. However, literature is limited and more research is required.