Americans are very concerned about their mental health. That’s one of the key findings of the first-ever Sesame Workshop State of Well-Being Report, which also concludes that opening up an honest dialogue could help alleviate these worries, and that the media has a role to play in supporting kids’ mental health. 

Sesame Workshop and The Harris Poll partnered on this research initiative, conducting more than 2,000 online surveys and 289 online interviews with Americans ages 16 and up in May 2024. The study specifically asked two questions that are relevant to producers and broadcasters: How important is it to have more kindness-focused characters in kids TV programming? And can these shows help teach children about how to understand and manage their emotions? According to the survey results, 84% of respondents are in favor of more kindness-focused characters, and 82% of respondents and 74% of parents feel that kids TV can do more to help teach kids about understanding and managing their emotions. 

Other key takeaways from the report reveal that 51% of Americans think children are anxious, and 79% of parents wish their own parents had talked honestly about their mental health struggles. Also, half of teens and one in three American parents say their well-being is negatively affected by mental health issues. 

Drilling in on parents specifically, 84% say they wish they had been taught how to understand and manage their emotions when they were young. This last data point, in particular, signals a “major generational shift” around the value people put on speaking about well-being while kids are young, according to the report. 

Other issues weighing on American minds today include economic security and physical health.