Abstract: Objective To explore maternal factors for mental development among the children in poor rural minority area.Methods Totally 2007 pupils and their mothers were selected from 7 primary schools in the poor rural minority areas of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region with random cluster sampling and surveyed with Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale,Infants-Junior Middle School Student Social-Life Ability Scale,Children's Loneliness Scale,Social Anxiety Scale for Children,the Parent Behavior Report,and a questionnaire including demographic information and maternal factors.Results The level of mental development of the children was significantly lower than that of the national norms.There was a significant difference in mental development between the children with mothers educated differently except social anxiety.Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that maternal education had a significant effect on mental development of the children after adjustment for demographic status(B=-0.074-0.106,P < 0.05).The occupation of the mother had an effect on the mental development of the children.Maternal income was significantly correlated with the mental development of the children(r=-0.088-0.134,P < 0.05).Maternal inductive parenting pattern was most beneficial to the mental development of the children,whereas maternal indifferent pattern was most harmful.Conclusion The mental development of the children is generally at a lowlevel and maternal education,occupation,income and parenting pattern play important roles in mental development of the children in poor rural minority area.