Climate change concerns impact on young Australians' psychological distress and outlook for the future.

Abstract

Background: Climate change is escalating and will disproportionately affect young people. Understanding the impact of climate concerns on young people’s mental wellbeing is crucial for identifying effective measures and building resilience. Methods: Climate concerns, psychological distress, and future outlook were measured in the 2022 Mission Australia Youth Survey, Australia’s largest annual population-wide survey of young people aged 15 to 19 (N = 18,800). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to map factors associated with climate concerns and assess whether climate concerns are associated with psychological distress and future outlook. Findings: One in four young people reported feeling very or extremely concerned about climate change. Climate concerns were higher among individuals identifying as female or gender diverse, or self-reported a mental health condition. After controlling for confounding factors, we found those who were very or extremely concerned about climate change to be more likely to have high psychological distress than those not at all concerned (Relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1·80; 95% CI: 1·60 – 2·01), and more likely to have a negative future outlook (RRR = 1·50; 95% CI: 1·33 – 1·68). These associations were stronger among participants who reported to be gender diverse, Indigenous or from outer-regional/remote areas. Interpretation: The link between climate concerns, psychological distress, and future outlook among young people is likely bidirectional and may have long-term impacts on wellbeing. Immediate attention from research and policy sectors to support climate change education, communication strategies and targeted interventions is urgently required.