Home⇛Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal⇛vol. 18 no. 4 (2024)

Correlation Between Climate Change Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Behavior Among Youth Environmental Volunteers

Justine Andrea Punzalan | Princess Shane Cometa | Danrose DeAsis | Danise Angelica Lacson

Discipline: Psychology and Health

 

Abstract:

Climate change is a decade-long issue that the world is facing. It has varying negative repercussions, such as an increase in temperature, rising sea levels, flooding, wildfire incidence, and so forth. This research explored how climate change affects the responses of people in terms of anxiety and environmental behavior levels. A quantitative correlation design and purposive sampling are applied in this study as there is a set of criteria to be considered in selecting the respondents. Non-parametric statistics, such as Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test and Spearman’s Rho Correlation, are used to analyze the data since there are assumptions that were not met. The findings show that 95 (52.49%) females participated in the study, out of the gathered 181 respondents, suggesting that females are more enlightened about the climatic changes. It also shows a moderate level of climate change anxiety and high level of pro-environmental behavior. Thus, there is no significant difference in the climate change anxiety and proenvironmental behavior levels of males and females, although males scored slightly higher on both scales. A positive correlation is found between climate change anxiety and pro-environmental behavior scores of the respondents. Aside from contributing to the local body of knowledge regarding this topic, this study recommends future researchers, mental health professionals, policymakers, educators, and environmental organizations and volunteers about the causes of climate change anxiety and how they can help the community to behave environmentally in mitigating the effects of climate change.



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