Obama’s 2012 reelection linked to surprising divergence in mental health among Black men

A recent study published in the journal Sociology of Race and Ethnicity reveals that Barack Obama’s reelection in 2012 had a significant impact on the mental health of Black men, though the effects were different depending on their level of education. College-educated Black men experienced improved mental health following Obama’s victory, while those without a college education reported a decline in their mental health during the same period. The researchers, led by Tony Brown, a distinguished sociology professor at Rice University, set out to investigate how Obama’s reelection influenced the mental health of Black men and women. This study builds on their earlier research into the mental health effects of Obama’s initial election in 2008, which showed that Black men reported fewer days of poor mental health after his victory. However, Brown and his team wanted to understand whether the optimism surrounding Obama’s first election still resonated four years later, particularly among Black men. “The topic interests me because most individuals agree Barack Obama’s presidency was a milestone moment in U.S. politics and history,” said Brown, the director of the Racism and Racial Experiences (RARE) Workgroup. “But increasingly, I think most individuals disagree about whether his presidency represented real racial...