A majority of U.S. adults hope to avoid political discussions during the holidays and, in some cases, family members they disagree with, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association.
More than 7 in 10 adults (72%) said they hope to avoid discussing politics with family over the holidays. And while 65% of adults said they were not worried that political discussions would hurt their relationships with their family members during the holidays, nearly 2 in 5 adults (39%) said they were stressed by the thought of politics coming up at holiday gatherings.
Perhaps to evade uncomfortable conversations altogether, nearly 2 in 5 adults (38%) said that they are avoiding family they disagree with over the holidays. Younger adults were significantly more likely than adults 65 or older to say they plan to avoid family over the holidays (45% adults ages 18-34, 47% ages 35-44, 42% ages 45-54, and 32% ages 55-64 vs. 23% ages 65+).
"Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, many Americans faced prolonged worry and uncertainty, which can significantly impact our well-being and relationships," said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. "Avoiding conflict is not the same as coping with stress. If we distance ourselves from others due to anticipated disagreements, we risk losing the relationships and communities that are crucial for our well-being, especially during stressful times."
Before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, APA's 2024 Stress in America™ survey revealed that more than three-quarters of adults (77%) said the future of the nation was a significant source of stress in their lives. To see how that may have changed after the election, The Harris Poll conducted a survey on behalf of APA among more than 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18+ between Nov. 25 and 27, 2024.
The survey found that more than one-third of adults (35%) said they are more stressed about the future of the nation now than they were leading up to the election and another third of adults said they are now less stressed (32%). A quarter of adults (24%) said their stress about the future of the nation was unchanged and 9% said they were not stressed about the future of the nation then or now.
Adults who said they are more stressed about the future of the nation than they were before the election were also more likely than those who are less stressed to say that they hope to avoid discussing politics with family over the holidays (80% vs 65%) and that they were stressed by the thought of politics coming up at holiday gatherings (50% vs. 33%).
More than 4 in 5 adults (83%) agreed that the holidays are a time to forget political differences, regardless of whether their preferred candidate won or lost the election (84% and 82%, respectively), or if they felt more or less stressed about the future of our nation now than they did leading up to the election (81% and 85%). More than 7 in 10 adults (71%) said that celebrating the holidays this year will be a welcome distraction from their stress.
"Despite the tensions leading up to the election, people have consistently shown that they value meaningful relationships with friends and family over political disagreements," said Evans. "While conversations around politics and other sensitive topics can be challenging, seeking to understand different perspectives can strengthen and enrich our relationships."
For people who would like to connect with people who do not share their political views, APA offered the following advice to manage sensitive conversations:
- Be open and kind. Listen and ask questions to help you understand the other person, not to craft a counterargument.
- Find areas where you agree. You may disagree about certain topics but share the same underlying values.
- Accept that you may not change the other person's mind. Instead, use the conversation as an opportunity to speak about your own experiences.
- Remember that the holidays are about bringing people together, not driving them apart, and focus on good memories that you and your family members have in common.
- Know when to end the conversation. If you find yourself getting worked up, try taking deep breaths, changing the topic of conversation or suggesting another activity – but reinforce that you value the relationship you share with the other person.
