Bridging Perspectives: Young Activists' Stories and Intergenerational Dialogue on Mental Health and Climate Change in Canada.

Both activist and non-activist groups expressed concern, anxiety, sadness, and grief related to climate change, though activists reported experiencing these emotions more frequently.

• Activists also expressed specific worry about human health impacts of climate change.
• The study used an ecofeminist lens to examine these emotional responses, highlighting interconnected oppression within patriarchal societies.
• Emotional responses were captured through two phases: digital storytelling by activists and focus group discussion by non-activists.

Young activists and older non-activists both conveyed hope for climate action, whereas younger non-activists reported feelings of hopelessness and lack of motivation.

• Despite emotional burdens, young activists remained hopeful and motivated through collective efforts.
• Older non-activists expressed hope similar to young activists, but showed little interest in collective action.
• Younger non-activists were distinct in reporting hopelessness and reduced motivation compared to both activist youth and older non-activists.

Young adult activists demonstrated awareness of psychoterratic syndromes as part of their climate engagement experience.

• Thematic analysis among activists constructed three key themes: youth environmental awareness, psychoterratic syndromes, and activism.
• Psychoterratic syndromes refer to earth-related mental health conditions tied to environmental decline.
• The study examined how environmental decline influences young adults' climate engagement, thoughts, actions, and behaviors.

Both groups underscored the disproportionate responsibility placed on young people to address climate change, calling for greater support and equitable distribution of responsibility.

• This finding emerged across both the activist group and the intergenerational non-activist focus group.
• Among non-activists, key themes included climate change perspectives and intergenerational injustice.
• The call for equitable distribution of responsibility was a shared concern despite differences in emotional responses and motivation between groups.

The study used a two-phase mixed-method design combining digital storytelling by young adult activists and an intergenerational focus group of non-activists in Canada.

• Phase one involved young adult activists creating digital stories about their climate experiences.
• Phase two involved an intergenerational focus group of non-activists who viewed these digital stories and participated in discussion.
• Thematic analysis was used to construct key themes from both phases.
• The study was framed through an ecofeminist lens highlighting interconnected oppression within patriarchal societies.