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On climate anxiety and the threat it may pose to daily life functioning and adaptation: a study among European and African French-speaking participants

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  • Alexandre Heeren

    (Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain
    Université Catholique de Louvain
    Belgian National Science Foundation (F.R.S.-FNRS))

  • Camille Mouguiama-Daouda

    (Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain)

  • Alba Contreras

    (Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain)

Abstract

The notion of climate anxiety has gained traction in the last years. Yet uncertainty remains regarding the variations of climate anxiety across demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age) and its associations with adaptive (i.e., pro-environmental) behaviors. Moreover, the point-estimate proportion of people frequently experiencing climate anxiety has seldom been probed. In this study, we assessed climate anxiety (including its related functional impairments), along with demographic characteristics, climate change experience, and pro-environmental behaviors, in 2080 French-speaking participants from eight African and European countries. 11.64% of the participants reported experiencing climate anxiety frequently, and 20.72% reported experiencing daily life functional consequences (e.g., impact on the ability to go to work or socialize). Women and younger people exhibited significantly higher levels of climate anxiety. There was no difference between participants from African and European countries, although the sample size of the former was limited, thus precluding any definite conclusion regarding potential geographic differences. Concerning adaptation, climate anxiety was associated with pro-environmental behaviors. However, this association was significantly weaker in people reporting frequent experiences of climate anxiety (i.e., eco-paralysis) than in those with lower levels. Although this observation needs to be confirmed in longitudinal and experimental research, our results suggest that climate anxiety can impede daily life functioning and adaptation to climate change in many people, thus deserving a careful audit by the scientific community and practitioners.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandre Heeren & Camille Mouguiama-Daouda & Alba Contreras, 2022. "On climate anxiety and the threat it may pose to daily life functioning and adaptation: a study among European and African French-speaking participants," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:173:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-022-03402-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-022-03402-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.
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    Cited by:

    1. Panu Pihkala, 2022. "The Process of Eco-Anxiety and Ecological Grief: A Narrative Review and a New Proposal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-53, December.
    2. Nicu Gavriluță & Lucian Mocrei-Rebrean, 2023. "Climate Change as Liminal Experience—The Psychosocial Relevance of a Phenomenological Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Susan D. Clayton & Panu Pihkala & Britt Wray & Elizabeth Marks, 2023. "Psychological and Emotional Responses to Climate Change among Young People Worldwide: Differences Associated with Gender, Age, and Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-12, February.
    4. Joshua M. Carlson & Madeline Voltz & John Foley & Lisa Gentry & Lin Fang, 2022. "Changing how you look at climate change: attention bias modification increases attention to climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 175(3), pages 1-18, December.
    5. María Luisa Vecina & María Alonso-Ferres & Laura López-García & Cintia Díaz-Silveira, 2024. "Eco-Anxiety and Trust in Science in Spain: Two Paths to Connect Climate Change Perceptions and General Willingness for Environmental Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-17, April.

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