New research shows the psychological toll of the 2024 presidential election

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election unfolded, many young Americans found themselves emotionally drained—not just by the outcome, but by the long months of anticipation and constant news coverage. A new study published in Psychiatry Research has found that stress related to election news and the buildup before the election was linked to higher risks of depression and anxiety among young adults. Interestingly, stress about the election results themselves was not tied to increased mental health symptoms.

The researchers set out to examine how different aspects of election-related stress affect mental health among young adults in the United States. Presidential elections are among the most high-profile events in American civic life, and in recent years they have become increasingly stressful for many people. Past studies have shown a rise in stress levels during election seasons, but few have looked closely at how specific kinds of election-related stress might relate to clinical symptoms of depression or anxiety. This study was designed to fill that gap.

The 2024 presidential race was particularly intense. It came after years of political turmoil and was marked by widespread concerns about threats to democracy, fears of election-related violence, and deep divisions in public opinion. Many Americans reported feeling overwhelmed or anxious during the election period. For young adults, who are still developing emotionally and often face financial and social instability, this kind of stress can be especially hard to manage.

To understand how election stress affects young people’s mental health, researchers used data from the COVID-19 Adult Resilience Experiences Study (CARES), a long-running survey of young adults in the United States. This study followed participants from the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic into early 2025. The current analysis focused on a group of 778 people who completed surveys both in 2022 and in the months following the 2024 presidential election.

The researchers looked at three kinds of election-related stress: distress in the lead-up to the election, distress caused by the election outcome, and distress from news coverage related to the election. They used standard screening tools to measure symptoms of depression and anxiety, looking specifically for signs that participants might be at risk for at least moderate levels of these conditions. They also accounted for a wide range of background factors, such as participants’ political views, education level, employment status, race, gender identity, and sexual orientation, as well as prior mental health history, financial distress, and emotional resilience.

The findings showed that stress from election-related news was associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing symptoms of both depression and anxiety. Young adults who felt more distressed by the news around the time of the election were more likely to score above the clinical threshold for moderate depression and anxiety symptoms. Stress in the weeks and months before the election—the anticipation phase—was also linked to increased depression symptoms, but it was not tied to anxiety symptoms. Surprisingly, stress related to the actual results of the election did not predict symptoms of either depression or anxiety.

The study also found that some groups were more vulnerable than others. Participants who identified as part of gender or sexual minority groups were more likely to experience depressive symptoms. Financial stress was also a strong predictor of both depression and anxiety. Having symptoms of depression or anxiety in 2022 was a powerful predictor of whether someone would still meet the threshold for those conditions in 2025. These patterns suggest that both existing mental health challenges and ongoing life stressors continue to shape how young adults respond to political stress.

The researchers suggest that stress from constant exposure to news—especially on social media—may play a major role in shaping young adults’ emotional responses to elections. Because young people are more likely to get their news online, they may be more affected by the constant stream of political content. Even those who try to avoid politics may struggle to tune it out. This constant exposure may lead to feelings of helplessness, fear, or hopelessness, all of which are associated with depression and anxiety.

News about the 2024 election may have been especially distressing for this sample, which was predominantly made up of liberal-identifying women and individuals from gender or sexual minority groups. Many of the key issues covered in election news—such as reproductive rights and transgender healthcare—directly affect these groups. As a result, these participants may have felt personally threatened by some of the policies or rhetoric they saw in the news. This could help explain why news-related stress had such a strong link to mental health symptoms in this group.

Anticipatory stress, or stress experienced in the lead-up to the election, was also linked to a higher risk of depression. This kind of stress may have contributed to depressive symptoms by fueling negative thoughts, emotional fatigue, or feelings of powerlessness. In contrast, it did not appear to increase anxiety. The researchers speculate that this may be because many participants in the study were already bracing themselves for an outcome they viewed as likely, which may have led to sadness and withdrawal rather than fear or panic.

Interestingly, stress about the election result itself—whether participants were upset about who won or lost—was not linked to an increased risk of either depression or anxiety. This finding runs counter to the assumption that disappointment or outrage over the outcome is the most emotionally damaging part of the election. Instead, it suggests that the stress leading up to the vote, and the non-stop news coverage surrounding it, may be more harmful than the result itself.

The authors point out some limitations in their study. For instance, the measures of election-related stress were based on single questions, which might not capture all the nuances of how people experience stress. Because some of the stress questions were asked after the election, it’s possible that participants’ answers were influenced by the results. But the study’s design controlled for many background factors, which helps strengthen the reliability of the findings.

These results suggest that mental health professionals may need to pay closer attention to the emotional toll of election periods, particularly among young adults. For people who are already experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety, the months leading up to an election may be a time of increased vulnerability. Clinicians might consider helping patients manage their media consumption, use cognitive behavioral techniques to address unhelpful thought patterns, or practice mindfulness to reduce anticipatory stress.

Looking ahead, the researchers call for more real-time studies to understand how people react emotionally during political events. Future work could also examine whether similar patterns appear among politically conservative or moderate young adults, or how different types of news content affect stress levels. The study adds to growing evidence that politics can have a powerful impact on emotional well-being—especially for those just beginning to find their place in civic life.

The study, “2024 presidential election stress and its association with depression and anxiety among U.S. young adults: A two-wave survey study,” was authored by Chang Zhao, G. Alice Woolverton, Ritika Rastogi, Anthony Menor, Hyeouk “Chris” Hahm, and Cindy H. Liu.