The correct answer is A) a lack of confidence in national leaders.
The factor that contributed to the United States having a case of malaise in the 1970s was "a lack of confidence in national leaders."
In the 1970s, the citizens of the United States did not trust their politicians. As simple as that. The Vietnam War hurt the nation's morale. People questioned the reason why the US Army had to be fighting a war that does not belong to them. Them the Water Gate scandal that undermined the credibility of the President and many politicians. Economic problems such as an inflation of 29% and an unemployment rate of 10%, also hurt people´s confidence.