Recent polling from Harris Poll and Sesame Workshop shows that Americans now rank mental health on par with economic stability in terms of importance.
Here are some key findings from the report:
- 1 in 3 parents say their family’s well-being is negatively affected by mental health issues – jumping to 1 in 2 for families with teens.
- 61% of parents say their family is still experiencing negative effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 56% describe their fellow Americans as “anxious.”
- 55% say the average American is “kind,” and 59% feel the average American is “resilient.”
- 82% believe their well-being would improve if society were kinder.
- 8 in 10 Americans feel the news media play an important role in promoting kindness.
- 84% say it’s important to have more kindness-focused characters in children’s shows, rising to 93% of educators.
- 67% “wish my parents had been more honest with me about their mental health struggles.”
- 82% of Gen Z and Millennials “wish I had been taught more about how to understand and manage my emotions as a child,” compared with 65% of older generations.
- 63% of Gen Z and Millennials believe schools should focus on social and emotional skills just as much as academics.