New Research Reveals Heightened Anxiety and Declining Optimism Among Young Americans
Embargoed for release until December 10, 2025
For media Inquiries regarding the study, please contact Natalie Judd or Emma Scott
Washington, D.C., December 10, 2025 – Washington, D.C. December 10, 2025 – Gen Z views the world as a scary place, according to new research presented at the 2025 Society for Risk Analysis Conference. In ongoing research that began in Fall 2022, Gabriel Rubin, Ph.D. a justice studies professor at Montclair State University, has now conducted 104 long-form interviews with Gen Z young people in the Northeast United States about their views on politics, risk and protest—expanding on his initial findings from the study, Gen Z Risk Perceptions: Crisis, Risk and Hope. A majority of interviewees agreed with the statement “Gen Z sees the world as a scary place,” and most also personally view the world as frightening.
Building on his earlier research, Rubin has documented a troubling shift in Gen Z’s outlook. Previous interviews, which had a more positive undertone, identified mass shootings and social media as major mental health concerns. However, as Rubin has continued his research, the message has changed dramatically—Gen Z has become more negative, cynical and scared, with growing fears about losing their rights, crime, discrimination and school shootings.
The research reveals three interconnected findings about how Gen Z views risk. First, Gen Z sees the world as a scary place due to factors including their experiences during the Covid-19 lockdown and fears of shootings. Second, Gen Z are increasingly cynical about their ability to change the world, which is tied to their views on politics and experiences with protest. This cynicism is critical to their risk analysis—the world looks riskier when you feel little control over outcomes. Third, Gen Z are prone to a negative outlook on the future, with many feelings stressed or depressed about existential concerns like climate change for which there are no easy solutions. The research also reveals that Gen Z perceives risk as black and white—viewing situations as either safe or dangerous—rather than understanding that risks exist on a
spectrum and can be assessed and managed. This contributes to a worldview where, as Rubin describes it, young people “perceive risk everywhere they turn.”
The largest risk Gen Z identified were:
The research reveals particularly acute impacts on young women, with nearly all women sampled viewing their rights—especially reproductive protections—as threatened and “going backwards.” Previous findings showed this disparity in risk assessment has led many young people, especially young girls and women, to feel anxious, depressed and even suicidal.
“I am very surprised by the increasing cynicism,” said Rubin, “When I started this research in 2022, the interviews were optimistic, however as time is going on, Gen Z’s views are shifting and there is a general feeling that making change is difficult.”
Despite research demonstrating that the past three years have been one of the safest times in history, Gen Z experiences a significant disparity in risk assessment. The research suggests that feelings of safety are internal perceptions about risk, not necessarily reflections of external threats. Organizations including police departments, universities and companies need to consider how they can help young people feel safer and more empowered to create change in an uncertain world.
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EDITORS NOTE:
This research will be presented on December 9 at 8:30 EST at the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) Annual Conference at the Downtown Westin Hotel in Washington, D.C. SRA Annual Conference welcomes press attendance. Please contact Emma Scott at emma@bigvoicecomm.com to register.
About Society for Risk Analysis
The Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) is a multidisciplinary, global organization dedicated to advancing the science and practice of risk analysis. Founded in 1980, SRA brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from diverse fields including engineering, public health, environmental science, economics, and decision theory. The Society fosters collaboration and communication on risk assessment, management, and communication to inform decision-making and protect public well-being. SRA supports a wide range of scholarly activities, publications, and conferences. Learn more at sra.org.
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