A new study on climate worry by our group was recently published in BMC Psychology. The study, titled “Climate worry: associations with functional impairment, pro-environmental behaviors and perceived need for support”, explores the multifaceted impacts of climate-related anxiety on individuals’ daily lives and behaviors.

Study Overview

Conducted between September and October 2022, the research surveyed 1,221 adults across Sweden, with a majority of participants being women (75%) and an average age of 46 years. The survey assessed various factors, including the severity and frequency of climate worry, functional impairment, engagement in pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs), depressive symptoms, sleep problems, and the perceived need for support.

Key Findings

• We surveyed people in Sweden to explore how concerns about climate change relate to daily challenges and eco-friendly behaviors.
• We also looked at a group of individuals whose severe and frequent climate worry made it hard for them to go about their daily lives, examining their characteristics and whether they felt they needed support.
• Our results showed that people who worry more about climate change are both more likely to take eco-friendly actions and more likely to experience daily struggles because of their worry. However, these struggles were not directly linked to taking eco-friendly actions.
• We also found that those facing significant everyday life challenges due to climate worry often want support—especially with managing their anxiety and finding sustainable ways to take action.
• These insights can help shape better support systems for people struggling with climate-related anxiety.

Conclusions

The study highlights a dual impact of climate worry: while it can motivate individuals to engage in beneficial pro-environmental behaviors, it can also lead to functional impairments and mental health challenges for a subset of people. Based on our results, we want to emphasize the importance of developing targeted interventions to support individuals adversely affected by climate worry, aiming to alleviate functional impairment and associated mental health issues.

This research underscores the complex relationship between environmental concern and personal well-being, suggesting that while fostering environmental awareness is crucial, it is equally important to provide resources and support for those who may experience overwhelming anxiety related to climate change.

Reference: Lenhard, F., Fernández de la Cruz, L., Wahlund, T. et al. Climate worry: associations with functional impairment, pro-environmental behaviors and perceived need for support. BMC Psychol 12, 731 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02244-0