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