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How Can Climate Change Anxiety Induce Both Pro-Environmental Behaviours and Eco-Paralysis? The Mediating Role of General Self-Efficacy

Author

Listed:
  • Matteo Innocenti

    (Associazione Italiana Ansia da Cambiamento Climatico (AIACC), 50144 Florence, Italy)

  • Gabriele Santarelli

    (Associazione Italiana Ansia da Cambiamento Climatico (AIACC), 50144 Florence, Italy)

  • Gaia Surya Lombardi

    (Section of Hygiene, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Italian Institute for Planetary Health (IIPH), 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Lorenzo Ciabini

    (Associazione Italiana Ansia da Cambiamento Climatico (AIACC), 50144 Florence, Italy)

  • Doris Zjalic

    (Section of Hygiene, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Italian Institute for Planetary Health (IIPH), 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Mattia Di Russo

    (Section of Hygiene, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Italian Institute for Planetary Health (IIPH), 00168 Rome, Italy)

  • Chiara Cadeddu

    (Section of Hygiene, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
    Italian Institute for Planetary Health (IIPH), 00168 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

While it has been shown that climate change anxiety (emotional distress response to climate change) can enhance pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs) in some subjects, in others it can induce eco-paralysis, thus leading individuals to avoid any form of engagement in actions against climate change. This study aims to clarify which factors influence the relationship between climate change anxiety and the disposition to PEBs, focusing on the role of self-efficacy as a mediating factor. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 394 healthy subjects living in Italy who completed the Pro-Environmental Behaviours Scale (PEBS), the General Self-Efficacy scale (GSE), and the Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS). As a result, the mediation model showed a positive direct effect of the cognitive impairment subscale of CCAS on PEBS and an indirect negative effect of the cognitive impairment subscale of CCAS on PEBS mediated by GSE. These findings show that climate change anxiety has simultaneously two different effects on individuals: it directly encourages PEBs, and indirectly may have detrimental effects on PEBs such as eco-paralysis. Consequently, therapeutic approaches to treat climate change anxiety should not be aimed at rationalising irrational thoughts but rather at helping patients develop coping strategies such as PEBs which, in turn, foster self-efficacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Matteo Innocenti & Gabriele Santarelli & Gaia Surya Lombardi & Lorenzo Ciabini & Doris Zjalic & Mattia Di Russo & Chiara Cadeddu, 2023. "How Can Climate Change Anxiety Induce Both Pro-Environmental Behaviours and Eco-Paralysis? The Mediating Role of General Self-Efficacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-10, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3085-:d:1063811
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jian Xu & Ruixia Han, 2019. "The Influence of Place Attachment on Pro-Environmental Behaviors: The Moderating Effect of Social Media," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Daniela Acquadro Maran & Tatiana Begotti, 2021. "Media Exposure to Climate Change, Anxiety, and Efficacy Beliefs in a Sample of Italian University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-11, September.
    3. Marlis C. Wullenkord & Josephine Tröger & Karen R. S. Hamann & Laura S. Loy & Gerhard Reese, 2021. "Anxiety and climate change: a validation of the Climate Anxiety Scale in a German-speaking quota sample and an investigation of psychological correlates," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 168(3), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Csilla Ágoston & Benedek Csaba & Bence Nagy & Zoltán Kőváry & Andrea Dúll & József Rácz & Zsolt Demetrovics, 2022. "Identifying Types of Eco-Anxiety, Eco-Guilt, Eco-Grief, and Eco-Coping in a Climate-Sensitive Population: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-17, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ankica Kosic & Paola Passafaro & Martina Molinari, 2024. "Predicting Pro-Environmental Behaviours in the Public Sphere: Comparing the Influence of Social Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, Global Warming Awareness and the NEP," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Haoran Wang, 2024. "Green Mind and Mental Health among Chinese College Students: A Chain Mediating Model of Eco-Generativity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-20, September.

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