Election-Related Post-Traumatic Stress: Evidence from the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

Abstract The 2020 U.S. presidential election saw rising political tensions among ordinary voters and elites, with fears of violence culminating in the January 6 riot. We hypothesized that might have been traumatic for some voters, producing measurable symptoms post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). also negative sentiment toward opposing party correlates PTSD. measured PTSD using a modified version PCL-5, validated screener, 573 individuals from nationally representative YouGov sample. modeled association between affective polarization PTSD, controlling political, demographic, psychological traits. estimate 12.5% American adults (95% CI: 9.2% to 15.9%) experienced election-related far higher than annual prevalence 3.5%. Additionally, negativity partisans correlated symptoms. These findings highlight potential need support Americans affected by trauma.