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Conservatives Rate Their Mental Health Higher Than Liberals, CES Data Shows

Researchers caution that stigma around the term “mental health” may drive conservatives to inflate their self-assessments

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Overview

  • The 2022–23 Cooperative Election Study found 51 percent of self-identified conservatives described their mental health as “excellent,” compared with 20 percent of self-identified liberals.
  • In the same surveys, 45 percent of liberals reported “poor” mental health, while just 19 percent of conservatives gave themselves that rating.
  • Study authors from Tufts and Yale Universities report that asking respondents about overall mood rather than mental health entirely closes the ideological gap.
  • Analysts suggest that conservative respondents may overstate their well-being because of stigma attached to mental health terminology.
  • Complementary CNN/SSRS polling shows Republicans have gained ground among middle-class voters since 2016, signaling wider shifts in party allegiance