Better understanding eco-anxiety: Creation and validation of EMEA scale

IF 1.3 4区心理学 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED European Review of Applied Psychology-Revue Europeenne De Psychologie Appliquee Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.erap.2024.101010

Hélène Jalin , Camille Chandès , Abdel-Halim Boudoukha , Anne Jacob , Rollon Poinsot , Anne Congard

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

Climate change represents an unprecedented threat to humanity. In addition to the palpable consequences in terms of climate, it can generate psychological effects, such as eco-anxiety.

Objective

The aim of the present study was to validate a French-language scale (EMEA) measuring eco-anxiety, in order to contribute to the latter's understanding and characterization. To fully reflect the diversity of its manifestations, the construction of the items was based on a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 18 eco-anxious people. This study also analyzed the relationships between eco-anxiety, intolerance to uncertainty, and perception of climate risk.

Method

A total of 691 individuals participated in the two phases of this research: 262 in Phase 1 (selection of scale items) and 429 in Phase 2 (psychometric validation). In addition to the items contained in the EMEA, Phase 2 included a climate anxiety scale, a climate risk perception scale, and a scale measuring intolerance to uncertainty. The research was conducted online after being approved by a research ethics board.

Results

Results reveal a hierarchical model with one main factor and three subfactors (anxiety-depressive manifestations, relational disturbances, and obsession with ecology). There were positive correlations between eco-anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and climate risk perception, and negative correlations between obsession with ecology (third EMEA subdimension) and intolerance of uncertainty.

Conclusion

The EMEA's psychometric qualities will allow it to be used for further research, but also as an assessment and care decision aid for health professionals to help patients with severe or paralyzing eco-anxiety. It will also be useful for studying the efficiency of psychotherapeutic interventions.

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来源期刊

European Review of Applied Psychology-Revue Europeenne De Psychologie Appliquee PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED-

CiteScore

2.20

自引率

20.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： The aim of the Revue européenne de Psychologie appliquée / European Review of Applied Psychology is to promote high-quality applications of psychology to all areas of specialization, and to foster exchange among researchers and professionals. Its policy is to attract a wide range of contributions, including empirical research, overviews of target issues, case studies, descriptions of instruments for research and diagnosis, and theoretical work related to applied psychology. In all cases, authors will refer to published and verificable facts, whether established in the study being reported or in earlier publications.