IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i4p3085-d1063811.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3085/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3085/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alan E. Stewart & Harrison E. Chapman & Jackson B. L. Davis, 2023. "Anxiety and Worry about Six Categories of Climate Change Impacts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-24, December.
    2. 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.
    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. Martin, Gina & Cosma, Alina & Roswell, Tasha & Anderson, Martin & Treble, Matthew & Leslie, Kathleen & Card, Kiffer G. & Closson, Kalysha & Kennedy, Angel & Gislason, Maya, 2023. "Measuring negative emotional responses to climate change among young people in survey research: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 329(C).
    5. Shiri Shinan-Altman & Yaira Hamama-Raz, 2023. "The Association between Climate Change Exposure and Climate Change Worry among Israeli Adults: The Interplay of Risk Appraisal, Collective Efficacy, Age, and Gender," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.
    6. Radha Yadav & Dharmendra Kumar & Anil Kumar & Sunil Luthra, 2023. "How does anticipatory trauma reaction and climate‐friendly behaviour make an affect at the individual level? The role of social norms and self‐efficacy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4028-4045, November.
    7. Andy Felix Jităreanu & Mioara Mihăilă & Ciprian-Ionel Alecu & Alexandru-Dragoș Robu & Gabriela Ignat & Carmen Luiza Costuleanu, 2022. "The Relationship between Environmental Factors, Satisfaction with Life, and Ecological Education: An Impact Analysis from a Sustainability Pillars Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-25, August.
    8. André Hajek & Hans-Helmut König, 2023. "Do Individuals with High Climate Anxiety Believe That They Will Die Earlier? First Evidence from Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-8, March.
    9. Ruixia Han & Jian Xu, 2020. "A Comparative Study of the Role of Interpersonal Communication, Traditional Media and Social Media in Pro-Environmental Behavior: A China-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-21, March.
    10. André Hajek & Hans-Helmut König, 2022. "Climate Anxiety, Loneliness and Perceived Social Isolation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    11. Szu-Ju Wu & Eric Ng & Kai-Bo Lin & Yi-Hsin Cheng & Ben A. LePage & Wei-Ta Fang, 2023. "Influence of Landscape Preference and Place Attachment on Responsible Environmental Behavior—A Study of Taipei’s Guandu Nature Park Wetlands, Taiwan," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, November.
    12. Hannes Zacher & Cort W. Rudolph, 2023. "Environmental knowledge is inversely associated with climate change anxiety," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-9, April.
    13. Jordan Koder & James Dunk & Paul Rhodes, 2023. "Climate Distress: A Review of Current Psychological Research and Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, May.
    14. Zanxin Wang & Saqib Ali & Ahsan Akbar & Farhan Rasool, 2020. "Determining the Influencing Factors of Biogas Technology Adoption Intention in Pakistan: The Moderating Role of Social Media," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-20, March.
    15. 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.
    16. Catriona Soutar & Anne P. F. Wand, 2022. "Understanding the Spectrum of Anxiety Responses to Climate Change: A Systematic Review of the Qualitative Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-23, January.
    17. Daniela Acquadro Maran & Matti Ullah Butt & Tatiana Begotti, 2023. "Pro-Environment Behaviors, Efficacy Beliefs, Perceived Individual and Social Norms: A Questionnaire Survey in a Sample of Young Adults From Pakistan," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    18. Aiste Dirzyte & Vytis Valatka, 2023. "Creative and Happy Individuals Concerned about Climate Change: Evidence Based on the 10th Round of the European Social Survey in 22 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-18, November.
    19. Ruixia Han & Yali Cheng, 2020. "The Influence of Norm Perception on Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Comparison between the Moderating Roles of Traditional Media and Social Media," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-18, September.
    20. Panu Pihkala, 2024. "Ecological Sorrow: Types of Grief and Loss in Ecological Grief," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-44, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3085-:d:1063811. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.