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Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action

2023-10-02Journal article Open access
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dc.contributor.authorSampaio, Francisco
dc.contributor.authorCosta, Tiago
dc.contributor.authorTeixeira-Santos, Luísa
dc.contributor.authorde Pinho, Lara Guedes
dc.contributor.authorSequeira, Carlos
dc.contributor.authorLuís, Sílvia
dc.contributor.authorLoureiro, Ana
dc.contributor.authorSoro, Jerônimo C.
dc.contributor.authorRoldán Merino, Juan
dc.contributor.authorMoreno Poyato, Antonio
dc.contributor.authorPeña Loray, Juan Segundo
dc.contributor.authorRodríguez Quiroga, Andrea
dc.contributor.authorO’Brien, Léan V.
dc.contributor.authorHogg, Teaghan L.
dc.contributor.authorStanley, Samantha K.
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-05T14:24:37Z
dc.date.available2024-04-05T14:24:37Z
dc.date.issued2023-10-02
dc.description.abstractBackground Worsening environmental conditions may amplify people’s emotional responses to an environmental crisis (eco-anxiety). In Portugal, young people seem to be especially concerned about climate change. However, this phenomenon needs to be interpreted using accurate instruments. Thus, this study aimed to validate the Portuguese version of the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS) in young adults and examine the associations among eco-anxiety, sociodemographic characteristics, and pro-environmental behaviours. Methods A survey was administered to 623 Portuguese university students aged between 18 and 25 years. The survey included our Portuguese translation of the HEAS (obtained through a back-translation and pretesting process), a sociodemographic assessment, and questions related to pro-environmental behaviours. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the construct validity of the Portuguese version of the HEAS, and global fit indices were used to assess whether the original four-dimensional structure of the scale was reproduced. The reliability of the Portuguese version of the HEAS was evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Measurement invariance examined sex differences in scale interpretation. Linear regressions were used to detect whether sociodemographic variables predict eco-anxiety and whether eco-anxiety predicts pro-environmental behaviours. Results The factorial structure of the original scale was replicated in the Portuguese version of the HEAS, showing good internal consistency, reliability over time and strict invariance between men and women. A higher paternal education level predicted greater eco-anxiety in children. Two dimensions of eco-anxiety—namely, rumination and anxiety about personal impacts on the environment—predicted higher engagement in pro-environmental behaviours. Conclusions The translated scale is an appropriate tool to measure eco-anxiety in the Portuguese context and should be used to collect evidence to drive environmental and health policies. An individual’s education level should be considered a determinant of their emotional response to environmental conditions. Importantly, eco-anxiety can act as a protective emotional response to preserving the planet.pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.citationSampaio, F., Costa, T., Teixeira-Santos, L. et al. Validating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental action. BMC Public Health 23, 1905 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16816-zpt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.1186/s12889-023-16816-zpt_PT
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/30633
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.relationThis work is financed by national funds through FCT Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the scope of the projects “RISE - LA/P/0053/2020”, “UIDP/00713/2020” and “UIDB/05380/2020”.pt_PT
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectClimate Anxiety; Eco-anxiety; Climate Change; Pro-environmental Behaviour; Scale Validation; Psychometrics.pt_PT
dc.titleValidating a measure for eco-anxiety in Portuguese young adults and exploring its associations with environmental actionpt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue1pt_PT
oaire.citation.titleBMC Public Healthpt_PT
oaire.citation.volume23pt_PT
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT

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