Two hundred and fifty years ago, Thomas Jefferson enshrined “the pursuit of Happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. But today, the news is grim on the happiness front.
By almost every measure, Americans are losing that pursuit. The U.S. depression rate is near record highs. The World Happiness Rankings put America much lower than countries of comparable wealth. Optimism is at historic lows.
Shannon Osaka, The Washington Post
Madison Colombo, Fox News
Lyman Stone, Peter Foreshaw Brookes, The Critic
Who Cheats More? The Demographics of Infidelity in America
Eight Reasons Women Stay in Abusive Relationships
Male Sexlessness is Rising But Not for the Reasons Incels Claim
Counterintuitive Trends in the Link Between Premarital Sex and Marital Stability
The U.S. Divorce Rate Has Hit a 50-Year Low
Weekly roundup of research, commentary, and insights changing the national conversation on the family.
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© 2026 Institute for Family Studies
© 2026 Institute for Family Studies
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