US adults in the midst of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic are the unhappiest Americans in nearly half a century, according to an ongoing longitudinal study seeking to make sense of Americans' mental health before, during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
The National Science Foundation, NORC at the University of Chicago released its first wave of 2020 COVID-19 outlook research this week and revealed that only 14% of Americans describe themselves as “very happy” – less than half of the 31% who said the same in 2018.
However, this is just one aspect of the ongoing longitudinal study, which is being conducted online and via phone with both Spanish- and English-speaking American respondents. This first wave of data was obtained in late May and contains the responses of some 2,000 Americans.
Furthermore, 30% of US adults told researchers that they have lost their temper more often after the COVID-19 outbreak, though only 20% said the same in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Also, nationwide anxiety has climbed from 13% to 18% within the past two years, according to the data.
Poll data published on Monday from Gallup's national pride survey, which ran from May 28 through June 5, revealed that fewer US adults are “extremely proud,” or even “very proud,” to be Americans than they were in past years.
In fact, the “extremely proud” category has experienced a downward trend since 2016 – particularly…
