Kathryn Lee

Senior Project Advisor

Steve Bennett

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Summer 2023

Keywords

eco-anxiety, university students, mental health, climate change

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the prevalence, population demographics, and experiential trends of eco-anxiety among undergraduates at a medium-sized university in Washington State.

Participants: 194 undergraduate students at Western Washington University participated in a survey disseminated in April and May of 2023.

Methods: Participants completed an online cross-sectional survey with sociodemographic information. The survey featured questions from three questionnaires: the Eco-Anxiety Questionnaire, a global youth survey published in the Lancet, and a climate anxiety scale addressing negative beliefs and personal experiences of climate change and the ecological crisis. Analyses were performed with SPSS 29.

Results: Findings suggest a high prevalence of eco-anxiety among undergraduates within the measure of habitual ecological worry (80.9%), which represents externally focused concerns. Directly experiencing or being affected by climate change was associated with higher eco-anxiety scores (p-value= <0.001).

Conclusions: Further research is required to examine experiences of eco-anxiety at other higher education institutions and to understand how courses and services can be designed to best prepare students in a climate changing world.

Department

Health and Human Development

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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