Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action
Abstract Background Worsening environmental conditions may amplify people’s emotional responses to an environmental crisis (eco-anxiety). In Portugal, young people seem to be especially concerned about climate change. However, this phenomenon needs to be interpreted using accurate instruments. Thus,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16816-z |
| _version_ | 1797451195743207424 |
|---|---|
| author | Francisco Sampaio Tiago Costa Luísa Teixeira-Santos Lara Guedes de Pinho Carlos Sequeira Sílvia Luís Ana Loureiro Jerônimo C. Soro Juan Roldán Merino Antonio Moreno Poyato Juan Segundo Peña Loray Andrea Rodríguez Quiroga Léan V. O’Brien Teaghan L. Hogg Samantha K. Stanley |
| author_facet | Francisco Sampaio Tiago Costa Luísa Teixeira-Santos Lara Guedes de Pinho Carlos Sequeira Sílvia Luís Ana Loureiro Jerônimo C. Soro Juan Roldán Merino Antonio Moreno Poyato Juan Segundo Peña Loray Andrea Rodríguez Quiroga Léan V. O’Brien Teaghan L. Hogg Samantha K. Stanley |
| author_sort | Francisco Sampaio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Worsening environmental conditions may amplify people’s emotional responses to an environmental crisis (eco-anxiety). In Portugal, young people seem to be especially concerned about climate change. However, this phenomenon needs to be interpreted using accurate instruments. Thus, this study aimed to validate the Portuguese version of the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS) in young adults and examine the associations among eco-anxiety, sociodemographic characteristics, and pro-environmental behaviours. Methods A survey was administered to 623 Portuguese university students aged between 18 and 25 years. The survey included our Portuguese translation of the HEAS (obtained through a back-translation and pretesting process), a sociodemographic assessment, and questions related to pro-environmental behaviours. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the construct validity of the Portuguese version of the HEAS, and global fit indices were used to assess whether the original four-dimensional structure of the scale was reproduced. The reliability of the Portuguese version of the HEAS was evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Measurement invariance examined sex differences in scale interpretation. Linear regressions were used to detect whether sociodemographic variables predict eco-anxiety and whether eco-anxiety predicts pro-environmental behaviours. Results The factorial structure of the original scale was replicated in the Portuguese version of the HEAS, showing good internal consistency, reliability over time and strict invariance between men and women. A higher paternal education level predicted greater eco-anxiety in children. Two dimensions of eco-anxiety—namely, rumination and anxiety about personal impacts on the environment—predicted higher engagement in pro-environmental behaviours. Conclusions The translated scale is an appropriate tool to measure eco-anxiety in the Portuguese context and should be used to collect evidence to drive environmental and health policies. An individual’s education level should be considered a determinant of their emotional response to environmental conditions. Importantly, eco-anxiety can act as a protective emotional response to preserving the planet. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:50:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69ed6907813c41edb287a1ffb9a11e0b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:50:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-69ed6907813c41edb287a1ffb9a11e0b2023-11-26T14:29:04ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-10-0123111010.1186/s12889-023-16816-zValidating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental actionFrancisco Sampaio0Tiago Costa1Luísa Teixeira-Santos2Lara Guedes de Pinho3Carlos Sequeira4Sílvia Luís5Ana Loureiro6Jerônimo C. Soro7Juan Roldán Merino8Antonio Moreno Poyato9Juan Segundo Peña Loray10Andrea Rodríguez Quiroga11Léan V. O’Brien12Teaghan L. Hogg13Samantha K. Stanley14Nursing School of PortoCINTESIS@RISE, Nursing School of Porto (ESEP)CINTESIS@RISE, Nursing School of Porto (ESEP)Nursing Department, Universidade de ÉvoraNursing School of PortoHEI-Lab: Digital Human‐Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona UniversityHEI-Lab: Digital Human‐Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona UniversityHEI-Lab: Digital Human‐Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona UniversitySchool of NursingPublic Health, Mental Health and Maternal-Infant Nursing Department, Nursing College, Universitat de BarcelonaFoundation Turning Point for Health and SustainabilityFoundation Turning Point for Health and SustainabilityDiscipline of Psychology, University of CanberraDiscipline of Psychology, University of CanberraSchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National UniversityAbstract Background Worsening environmental conditions may amplify people’s emotional responses to an environmental crisis (eco-anxiety). In Portugal, young people seem to be especially concerned about climate change. However, this phenomenon needs to be interpreted using accurate instruments. Thus, this study aimed to validate the Portuguese version of the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS) in young adults and examine the associations among eco-anxiety, sociodemographic characteristics, and pro-environmental behaviours. Methods A survey was administered to 623 Portuguese university students aged between 18 and 25 years. The survey included our Portuguese translation of the HEAS (obtained through a back-translation and pretesting process), a sociodemographic assessment, and questions related to pro-environmental behaviours. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the construct validity of the Portuguese version of the HEAS, and global fit indices were used to assess whether the original four-dimensional structure of the scale was reproduced. The reliability of the Portuguese version of the HEAS was evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Measurement invariance examined sex differences in scale interpretation. Linear regressions were used to detect whether sociodemographic variables predict eco-anxiety and whether eco-anxiety predicts pro-environmental behaviours. Results The factorial structure of the original scale was replicated in the Portuguese version of the HEAS, showing good internal consistency, reliability over time and strict invariance between men and women. A higher paternal education level predicted greater eco-anxiety in children. Two dimensions of eco-anxiety—namely, rumination and anxiety about personal impacts on the environment—predicted higher engagement in pro-environmental behaviours. Conclusions The translated scale is an appropriate tool to measure eco-anxiety in the Portuguese context and should be used to collect evidence to drive environmental and health policies. An individual’s education level should be considered a determinant of their emotional response to environmental conditions. Importantly, eco-anxiety can act as a protective emotional response to preserving the planet.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16816-zClimate anxietyEco-anxietyClimate changePro-environmental behaviourScale validationPsychometrics |
| spellingShingle | Francisco Sampaio Tiago Costa Luísa Teixeira-Santos Lara Guedes de Pinho Carlos Sequeira Sílvia Luís Ana Loureiro Jerônimo C. Soro Juan Roldán Merino Antonio Moreno Poyato Juan Segundo Peña Loray Andrea Rodríguez Quiroga Léan V. O’Brien Teaghan L. Hogg Samantha K. Stanley Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action BMC Public Health Climate anxiety Eco-anxiety Climate change Pro-environmental behaviour Scale validation Psychometrics |
| title | Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action |
| title_full | Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action |
| title_fullStr | Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action |
| title_full_unstemmed | Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action |
| title_short | Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action |
| title_sort | validating a measure for eco anxiety in portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action |
| topic | Climate anxiety Eco-anxiety Climate change Pro-environmental behaviour Scale validation Psychometrics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16816-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT franciscosampaio validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT tiagocosta validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT luisateixeirasantos validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT laraguedesdepinho validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT carlossequeira validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT silvialuis validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT analoureiro validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT jeronimocsoro validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT juanroldanmerino validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT antoniomorenopoyato validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT juansegundopenaloray validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT andrearodriguezquiroga validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT leanvobrien validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT teaghanlhogg validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction AT samanthakstanley validatingameasureforecoanxietyinportugueseyoungadultsandexploringitsassociationswithenvironmentalaction |