A Snapshot of Australian Adolescents Eco-anxiety and Impairments to Mental Well-Being

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of eco-anxiety and its four dimensions (affective symptoms, rumination, behavioral symptoms, and personal impact anxiety) among adolescents, particularly among those belonging to minoritized groups (based on sex, parental education, language spoken at home, and disability status), and to examine the extent to which eco-anxiety relates to poorer mental well-being, conceptualized as the absence of positive mental well-being (e.g., positive emotions) and the presence of negative well-being (e.g., depression symptoms). Methods: More than 10,000 Australian secondary school adolescents answered surveys about eco-anxiety, and positive (life satisfaction, happiness..