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Methodology

The 2016 Stress in America™ survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association (APA) between Aug. 5 and 31, 2016 among 3,511 adults aged 18+ who reside in the U.S. Interviews were conducted in English (n=3,255) and Spanish (n=256).

APA commissioned Harris Poll to conduct an additional survey in January 2017 specifically about the results of the 2016 presidential election. The follow-up survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association (APA) between January 5 and 19, 2017 among 1,019 adults aged 18+ who reside in the U.S. Interviews were conducted in English (n=957) and Spanish (n=62).

Respondents for these surveys were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. Data are weighted to reflect their proportions in the population. Weighting variables included age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. In addition to the demographic variables listed, data from Hispanic respondents were weighted for acculturation taking into account respondents' household language as well as ability to read and speak in English and Spanish.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error, which are most often not possible to fully estimate and control, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Poll avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for unweighted, random samples with 100 percent response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls – whether conducted by telephone or online - come close to the ideal probability sample given the sources of error previously noted. Because the sample is based on those who were invited and agreed to participate in an online research panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

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Sample Size

Throughout this report different segments of adults are discussed. Demographic sub-groups of adults include and are defined below:

2016 Main Survey (n=3,511 total)

  • Gender: Male (n=1466); Female (n=2027)
  • Race/Ethnicity: White (n=1117); Hispanic (n=822); Black (n=803); Asian (n=522); Native American or Alaskan native (n=201)
  • Generation: millennials (18-37 years old) n=1306; Xers (38-51 years old) n=746; baby boomers (52-70 years old) n=1194; matures (age 71 or older) n=265
  • Poverty level: At or below 200 percent of the annual federal poverty guidelines (n=1135); More than 200 percent of the annual poverty guidelines (n=2102)
  • Region: East (n=746); Midwest (n=667); South (n=1294); West (n=804)
  • Urbanicity: Urban: (n=1334); Suburban: (n=1514); Rural: (n= 663)
  • Emotional support: Yes (n=2538); No (n=648)
  • Parents: Parents (n=1120); No children (n=2391); Parents of teens (13-17) (n=303); Parents of teen girls (n=149); Parents of teen boys (n=154)
  • Digital Connection: Constant checker (n=1807); Non-constant checker (n=1704); Constant checker of work email on a non-work day (n=283)

2017 Follow-up Survey (n=1,019 total)

  • Gender: Male (n=456); Female (n=557)
  • Race/Ethnicity: White (n=449); Hispanic (n=210); Black (n=201); Asian (n=100); Native American or Alaskan native (n=50)
  • Generation: millennials (18-37 years old) n=340; Xers (38-51 years old) n=222; baby boomers (52-70 years old) n=368; matures (age 71 or older) n=89
  • Poverty level: At or below 200 percent of the annual federal poverty guidelines (n=282); More than 200 percent of the annual poverty guidelines (n=675)
  • Region: East (n=238); Midwest (n=176); South (n=390); West (n=215)
  • Urbanicity: Urban: (n=373); Suburban: (n=464); Rural: (n=182)
Race/Ethnicity Definition

Harris Poll's methods for asking about and categorizing race and ethnicity are in accordance with the approach taken by the U.S. Census Bureau1 which treats race and ethnicity as two separate and distinct categories, examined in two separate questions. Per the Census' framework, ethnicity is categorized as either 'Hispanic or Latino' or 'not Hispanic or Latino.' Race is comprised of five categories: White, Black/African-American, Asian, Native American/Alaskan Native, Hawaiian Native or other Pacific Islander. The Census further describes that the concept of race reflects self-identification by people according to the race or races with which they most closely identify and that people who report themselves as Hispanic can be of any race.

Using the framework described above and the questions below, if a respondent identified as Hispanic at Q1, for the purposes of this research they were included in the Hispanic sub-group regardless of their responses to the subsequent questions which examined race. All other groups were identified based solely on their answers Q2. Very few indicated they were of mixed race or some other race. Those who did are included in the total sample but have been excluded from the racial/ethnic analysis as there were too few to analyze separately (1 percent of the total sample).

BASE: U.S. RESPONDENTS

Q1: Are you of Spanish or Hispanic origin, such as Latin American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban?

  • Yes, of Hispanic origin
  • No, not of Hispanic origin
  • Decline to answer

BASE: U.S. RESPONDENTS

Q2: Do you consider yourself…?

  • White
  • Black
  • Native American or Alaskan native
  • Mixed racial background
  • Other race
  • Hispanic
  • African American
  • First Nation/Native Canadian
  • South Asian
  • Chinese
  • Korean
  • Japanese
  • Other Asian
  • Filipino
  • Arab/West Asian
  • Pacific Islander
  • Decline to Answer

BASE: OTHER RACE (Q2/6)

Q3: What other race do you consider yourself?

[TEXT BOX]

BASE: MIXED RACIAL BACKGROUND (Q2/5)

Q4: You indicated that you consider yourself of a mixed racial background. With which of the following racial groups do you most closely identify? Please select all that apply.

  • White
  • Black
  • Native American or Alaskan native
  • Mixed racial background
  • Other race
  • Hispanic
  • African American
  • First Nation/Native Canadian
  • South Asian
  • Chinese
  • Korean
  • Japanese
  • Other Asian
  • Filipino
  • Arab/West Asian
  • Pacific Islander
  • Decline to Answer
Poverty Level Definition

The proportion of respondents in poverty is calculated based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines: https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-researchopens in new window. The calculation takes into account annual household income, as well as the number of persons living in the household. For the purposes of this research, poverty was defined as being at or below 200 percent of the federal annual poverty guidelines. For example, for a family of four is considered to be living in poverty if their annual household annual income is $48,600 or less.

Emotional Support Definition

Emotional support was defined using the question below from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Respondents who said "Yes" to the question below were categorized as having emotional support and those who said "No" were categorized as not having emotional support. Those who said "I do not need help" were not included in analyses examining the impact of emotional support.

Q: Is there someone you can ask for emotional support if you need it, such as talking over problems or helping you make a difficult decision?

  • Yes
  • No
  • I don't need help
Digital Connection Definition

Digital Connection was defined using the two questions below. Constant checkers were defined as those who indicated they constantly check their email, texts and social media accounts on a typical day (either typical work day or typical day off from work for those who are employed). Those who indicated they do not constantly check their email, texts and social media accounts on a typical day (either work day or day off from work for those who are employed) were defined as Non-constant checkers.

BASE: ALL EMPLOYED RESPONDENTS

Q9035A: On a typical work day, how often do you check the following?

  • Never
  • Rarely
  • Sometimes
  • Often
  • Constantly
  • Not applicable

[RANDOMIZE]

  • Personal email
  • Work email
  • Social Media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.)
  • Text messages

BASE: ALL QUALIFIED RESPONDENTS (Q99/1)

Q9035B: On a typical day [FOR EMPLOYED : SHOW 'off from work'], how often do you check the following?

  • Never
  • Rarely
  • Sometimes
  • Often
  • Constantly
  • Not applicable

[RANDOMIZE]

  • Personal email
  • Work email [ONLY SHOW FOR EMPLOYED ]
  • Social Media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.)
  • Text messages

1  https://www.census.gov/population/hispanic/about/faq.html

Date created: 2017

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