Climate change psychological distress is associated with increased collective climate action in the U.S.

Abstract

Abstract The mental health impacts of climate change are increasingly documented; however, less research has investigated the relationship between climate change-related psychological distress and engagement with the issue. The results from two national probability samples of U.S. adults show that 16% report at least one feature of climate change psychological distress and that certain groups have higher levels of distress than others (e.g., Hispanic/Latinos, lower income adults, younger adults). Importantly, people experiencing distress are more likely to engage in collective action on climate change or express a willingness to do so, even when controlling for several correlates of environmental behavior (e.g., political ideology, collective efficacy beliefs). These findings highlight that many Americans are experiencing psychological distress from climate change, and those who do are more involved in collective climate action. People experiencing such distress may benefit from resources to support mental health and engagement with climate change.