Climate change and mental health: A multinational study of climate-anxiety, coping, and psychosocial responses.

The majority of participants reported exposure to at least one extreme climate event in the past five years.

• 83.5% of participants reported exposure to at least one extreme climate event in the past five years
• The most commonly reported events were heatwaves, floods, and severe storms
• The study included 388 adults from 44 countries
• A multinational cross-sectional survey design was used

Climate anxiety differed significantly by gender across multiple symptom dimensions.

• Gender differences were found in affective symptoms, rumination, and personal impact anxiety
• Statistical significance was established using Kruskal-Wallis tests (p ≤ .007)
• The Hogg Climate Anxiety Scale (HCAS) was used to measure climate anxiety
• Additional items assessed climate-related experiences, functional disruption, coping strategies, and access to essential resources

Participants exposed to extreme climate events reported higher climate anxiety across affective, behavioral, and personal impact dimensions.

• Affective anxiety was significantly higher in those exposed to extreme events (p = .017)
• Behavioral anxiety was significantly higher in those exposed to extreme events (p = .001)
• Personal impact anxiety was significantly higher in those exposed to extreme events (p = .045)
• Non-parametric tests were used for these comparisons

Climate-related functional disruption was the strongest predictor of total climate anxiety scores in the regression model.

• The regression model explained 25% of the variance in total HCAS scores (R² = 0.25, p < .001)
• Climate-related functional disruption emerged as the strongest predictor among variables tested
• Multiple linear regression was used alongside descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and thematic analysis of open-ended responses
• The model incorporated data on coping strategies and perceived psychosocial support within a geopsychiatry framework

The study examined psychological and functional impacts of climate change across diverse populations using a geopsychiatry framework.

• The sample comprised 388 adults from 44 countries
• A cross-sectional survey design was employed
• Measures included the Hogg Climate Anxiety Scale (HCAS) and additional items on emotional responses, coping strategies, and access to essential resources
• Data analysis included descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, multiple linear regression, and thematic analysis of open-ended responses

The authors conclude that mental health screening and brief psychosocial interventions should be integrated into climate adaptation policies, primary care, and community-based resilience programs.

• Findings highlight the unequal distribution of environmental risks and the need for cross-cultural evidence
• Vulnerable groups were identified as particularly affected by the emotional and functional burden of climate change
• The emergence of climate-anxiety was noted as an increasingly important determinant of global mental health
• Climate change was described as affecting emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning