This article reports the findings of a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association (APA), which reveals the high levels of stress and dissatisfaction among Americans due to various external factors.
Introduction
The survey shows that Americans are disheartened by government and political divisiveness, daunted by historic inflation levels, and dismayed by widespread violence.
The survey also shows that Americans are uncertain and pessimistic about the future of the nation and their children’s inheritance.
Indicators of a society in distress
The survey found that most adults reported they do not think people in the government care about them and more than half said they feel their rights are under attack.
Nearly half of adults said they do not feel protected by the laws in the United States.
Around two in five adults said the state of the nation has made them consider moving to a different country, and a similar proportion of adults agreed that the political environment in their state has made them consider moving to a different state.
Most adults disagreed with the statement, “our children are going to inherit a better world than we did,” and more than half disagreed with the statement, “I feel our country is on the path to being stronger than ever.”
More than three-quarters of adults said that the future of our nation is a significant source of stress in their lives, while more than half said this is the lowest point in our nation’s history that they can remember.
Two in three adults said the current political climate is a significant source of stress in their lives. Further, three in five adults said that the current social divisiveness in the nation causes them stress.
Slightly more than three in five adults reported that the racial climate in the U.S. is a significant source of stress in their lives.
A sizeable proportion of adults said race relations, women’s rights, and LGBTQIA+ rights are getting worse in America.
Disparities in stressors
The survey revealed that some concerns, such as inflation, were high across all respondents, while others varied widely by population subgroups.
White adults were less likely than Black, Latino/a, and Asian adults to agree that our children are going to inherit a better world.
The racial climate in the U.S. was reported as a significant source of stress at highest levels among Black adults ages 65+ compared with the general population.
Women were more likely than men to disagree that our country is on the path to being stronger than ever.
Older White adults were more likely than those under 35 to say this is the lowest point in our nation’s history.
Inflation was reported as a source of stress for most adults, and more than half of all adults also said the economy and money are a significant source of stress. Of those who said money is a source of stress, most said that stress is about having enough money to pay for basic needs. More than half of adults who reported money is a significant source of stress said money is a cause of fights or tension in their family compared with less than half of the general population who said the same. This may be partially due to having to make different choices due to lack of money.
More than half of adults who indicated money was a source of stress said that having enough money to pay for things in the present—like food or rent/mortgage—is their main source of stress regarding money, while less than half reported feeling that saving enough money for things in the future is their main source of stress.
Among those who reported that money is a significant source of stress, adults with an annual household income of less than $50K were more likely than those with an annual household income
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