When Elmo posted a casual wellness check online earlier this year, the “Sesame Street” character unwittingly opened the floodgates to a deluge of online angst. In January, Elmo had asked X users a seemingly innocent question: “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” — only to be met with declarations of “ existential dread ,” mental burnout and general disenchantment with daily life. The dreary responses inspired Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind “Sesame Street,” to undertake a survey project focusing on the “state of well-being in America.
” Conducted in partnership with consulting and market research firm The Harris Poll, "The State of Well-Being Report" interviewed 2,012 members of the U.S. population ages 16 and older in May.
The survey was published Tuesday. When asked about what they prioritize when it comes to the future of well-being, the majority of the participants found mental health nearly as important as economic stability, according to the findings. “We could not have predicted the overwhelming response that followed Elmo’s post,” Samantha Maltin, chief marketing and brand officer of Sesame Workshop, said in a news release, adding that the Muppet’s post drew millions of responses.
“As Elmo’s viral moment and this new study indicate, the most pressing issue facing American families right now is mental health and emotional well-being.” A third of parents and half of teens also said mental health issues significantl.