Climate change anxiety among parents of school-aged children in the UK: experience as a common predictor of cognitive-emotional and functional impairments

Abstract

Climate change anxiety (CCA) is distress about climate change and its impacts on the environment and human health. CCA is manifested as cognitive-emotional impairment and functional impairment. CCA has been increasingly recognised in the mental health field, however, how to reduce CCA remains uninformed. Parents of school-aged children are vulnerable to CCA, due to parenting stress and worries for the future. We aimed to identify predictors of CCA impairment, from experience of climate change, behavioural engagement, and number of children among parents of school-aged children. A convenience sample of 126 parents (82 mothers and 44 fathers) responded to an online survey. Multiple regression analyses were used. After controlling for age and gender, (a) experience of climate change (b = 0.16, p < 0.01, 95%CI 0.06–0.27) and behavioural engagement (b = 0.31, p < 0.05, 95%CI 0.08–0.55) predicted cognitive-emotional impairment, and (b) experience of climate change predicted functional impairment (b = 0.20, p < 0.01, 95%CI 0.08–0.31). Experience of climate change was a common predictor. Cognitive re-appraisal and compassion practice may help alter the experiential aspect of climate change to mitigate CCA. Future research needs to evaluate the mechanism of climate change experience in order to effectively reduce CCA.