New research published in Sociological Forum suggests that participating in identity politics tends to be associated with lower levels of mental well-being among political progressives. The findings indicate that focusing on social identity and collective protest might explain why progressive individuals report more depression and anxiety than their conservative peers. Over the past decade, scientists have observed a growing mental health gap between people with different political ideologies. Specifically, data provides evidence that progressives generally report lower mental well-being than conservatives. George Yancey, a professor of sociology at Baylor University, wanted to explore the reasons behind this expanding divide. The inspiration for the study originated outside of the academic sphere. “I was doing some consulting work and asked by a lawyer about possible detrimental effects of antiracism training on the participants in the program,” Yancey explained. “I have previously studied the relative lack of effectiveness of those programs as it concerns attitudinal change but had not considered whether they, and the identity politics that motivate them, may lower well-being.” This thought process coincided with emerging …