This study explored how undergraduate students familiar with the climate crisis navigate climate-specific challenges in their personal lives, an area where knowledge is extremely inadequate.
The authors examined a broad range of adaptive (i.e. helpful) and maladaptive (i.e. unhelpful) strategies that students employ to manage their emotions concerning climate change, as well as resources that could help them adjust to the climate crisis. Quantitative and qualitative survey data were collected.
Students used various adaptive strategies to manage their emotions, including recreation, self-care, eco-friendly behaviors (such as changing habits, advocacy and volunteerism), personal and professional social support and actively seeking knowledge and positivity to empower themselves while participating in climate action. Furthermore, students suggested that having more professionally trained social support and resources for engaging in sustainable action would better help them adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. Gaining insights into effective methods for regulating climate impact can facilitate preventative and treatment strategies to cope with significant climate distress in young people.
The authors hope that the current lessons can inform pedagogy and help develop evidence-based mental health resources that equip current and future generations to effectively adapt to and mitigate the climate crisis.
The current findings shed light on eclectic approaches that university students adopt to manage their emotional responses to climate distress. They highlight that most students feel a dearth of resources available to them to effectively manage their personal climate distress and contribute to sustainability.
