Review: The impact of climate change awareness on children's mental well-being and negative emotions - a scoping review

Gina Martin; Kristen Reilly; Haley Everitt; Jason A Gilliland

doi:10.1111/camh.12525

Review: The impact of climate change awareness on children's mental well-being and negative emotions - a scoping review

Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2022 Feb;27(1):59-72. doi: 10.1111/camh.12525. Epub 2021 Dec 6.

Authors

Gina Martin^{1

2

3

4}, Kristen Reilly^{2

3

4

5}, Haley Everitt^{2

3}, Jason A Gilliland^{2

3

4

6

7

8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health Disciplines, Athabasca University, Athabasca, AB, Canada.
² Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
³ Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁴ Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
⁵ Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine Clinic, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁶ School of Health Studies, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁷ Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁸ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁹ Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.

PMID: 34873823
DOI: 10.1111/camh.12525

Abstract

Background: Climate change is a threat to children's physical health, but there are also implications for mental well-being. Additionally, children may experience negative emotional responses stemming from an overarching awareness of the imminent threats to the planet due to climate change.

Method: Using a scoping review, we examined the impact of climate change awareness on children's mental well-being and negative emotions. Our aim was to identify and describe the existing literature and highlight priorities for future research. Three specific objectives guided the review: (1) to identify and provide an overview of research regarding the impact of climate change awareness on children's mental well-being and negative emotions; (2) to summarize and clarify the terminology related to climate change awareness and children's mental well-being and negative emotions; and (3) to make recommendations for areas of future research.

Results: Thirty-three articles were included in a narrative synthesis. Many articles were reviews or editorials/commentaries. Of the empirical research, most were from Europe, North America, and Australia. The articles emphasized a large range of negative emotions that children felt about climate change, with anxiety and worry being the most researched and discussed.

Conclusions: The research on the impact of awareness of climate change on children's mental well-being and negative emotions is in its early phases. Efforts are needed to advance conceptual clarity and operationalize concepts. Additionally, there is a need for research into the impact of climate change awareness on children's mental well-being and negative emotions among a greater diversity of people and places. Existing studies provide an encouraging basis from which to develop future research.

Keywords: Adolescence; climate change; emotion; environmental health; mental health; school children.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Anxiety
Child
Child Health
Climate Change*
Emotions
Humans
Mental Health*

Grants and funding

Children's Health Research Institute