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Cited by 181Electoral Systems and Political ParticipationMental Health Treatment and AccessSocial Media and Politics

Depression and Political Participation*

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Ojeda, Christopher·2015·Social Science Quarterly
DOI 10.1111/ssqu.12173PMC PMC4764256
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Abstract

Objective: I hypothesize that individuals with depression lack the motivation and physical capacity required to participate in politics due to somatic problems and feelings of hopelessness and apathy. Furthermore, I hypothesize that depression in adolescence can have negative downstream consequences for participation in young adulthood. Method: Using the 1998 General Social Survey and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, I employ logistic regression and mediation analysis to test the relationship between depression and voting as well as adolescent depression and political participation. Results: The results show that both depression and adolescent depression reduce the probability of political participation. The effect of adolescent depression on political participation is mediated by educational attainment and partisan affiliation. Conclusion: Depression reduces participation and merits further attention as a political phenomenon. The possibility of depression as a disability is discussed, including potential efforts to boost participation among this group.

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  • Landwehr and Ojeda (2021) show that, across four countries, depressive symptoms substantially reduce the probability of voting by diminishing political motivation and physical energy.

    “First, Landwehr and Ojeda (2021) show that, across four countries, depressive symptoms substantially reduce the probability of voting by diminishing political motivation and physical energy (also see Ojeda, 2015, Ojeda & Pacheco, 2019).”

    From How to study democratic backsliding (2024) · cites this paper as Ojeda, 2015

    The Analysis of GSS Sample reports that voting probability decreases as depressed mood increases, and the Depression and Politics section proposes reduced motivation and physical capacity as explanations. The cited 2015 paper does not establish those pathways or report a four-country finding; the sentence attributes that broader result to Landwehr and Ojeda (2021). (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 35

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Authors
Ojeda, C.
Affiliations
Pennsylvania State University (US)
Corresponding author
Ojeda, Christopher
ORCID
Ojeda, Christopher
Venue
Social Science Quarterly
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-06-09
Volume
96
Issue
5
Pages
1226-1243
ISSN
  • 0038-4941 (ISSN-L)
  • 1540-6237
DOI
10.1111/ssqu.12173
PMC
PMC4764256
OpenAlex
W1902997631
Cited by
181
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3
FWCI
39.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Social Science Quarterly (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
Russell Sage Foundation (83-13-12)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Electoral Systems and Political Participation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Communication › Social Media and Politics
Keywords
depression, political participation, voting behavior, adolescent depression, educational attainment, partisan affiliation, hopelessness, apathy, disability, early adulthood

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