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Associations between Mental Health, Lifestyle Factors and Worries about Climate Change in Norwegian Adolescents

Author

Listed:
  • Marja Leonhardt

    (Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, 2381 Brumunddal, Norway)

  • Marie Dahlen Granrud

    (Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2418 Elverum, Norway)

  • Tore Bonsaksen

    (Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2418 Elverum, Norway
    Department of Health, VID Specialized University, Campus Stavanger, 4024 Stavanger, Norway)

  • Lars Lien

    (Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Concurrent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders, Innlandet Hospital Trust, 2381 Brumunddal, Norway
    Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2418 Elverum, Norway)

Abstract

Climate change is a serious global health threat that has an impact on young people’s lives and may influence their mental health. Since the global climate strike movement, many adolescents have expressed worries about climate change. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of worries about climate change, and factors associated with worries about climate change, in a representative sample of Norwegian adolescents. Data were retrieved from Ungdata, an annual nationwide online youth survey. Adolescents (n = 128,484) from lower and upper secondary school participated in the study. Data were analysed descriptively and with logistic regression. Most of the adolescents were not worried or a little worried about climate change. Girls, pupils who had at least one parent with higher education and pupils from urban areas were more inclined to worry about the climate. Adolescents who worried about the climate had more symptoms of depression than those who were less worried. While worry about climate change may constitute an additional burden for adolescents experiencing depressive symptoms, such worry can also be seen to reflect climate-friendly values.

Suggested Citation

  • Marja Leonhardt & Marie Dahlen Granrud & Tore Bonsaksen & Lars Lien, 2022. "Associations between Mental Health, Lifestyle Factors and Worries about Climate Change in Norwegian Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-12, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12826-:d:935239
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Katharine Lee & Nathalia Gjersoe & Saffron O'Neill & Julie Barnett, 2020. "Youth perceptions of climate change: A narrative synthesis," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(3), May.
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    3. 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.
    4. Christopher Tamborini & ChangHwan Kim & Arthur Sakamoto, 2015. "Education and Lifetime Earnings in the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 52(4), pages 1383-1407, August.
    5. Marianne Aasen, 2017. "The polarization of public concern about climate change in Norway," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(2), pages 213-230, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Avan, Hakan & Vural, Birgül, 2025. "The relationship between climate change anxiety and depression and insomnia in adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).

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