Exploring Climate Change’s Psychological Association, Between Eco-Anxiety, Eco-Grief and Attitude Towards Environment

This study investigates the psychological correlations among eco-anxiety, eco-grief, and attitudes toward the environment within the context of climate change. Data were collected using convenience sampling from a sample size 200 in the Malakand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The sample included 124 males and 76 females. Data collection involved the Eco-Anxiety Questionnaire comprising 22 items, the Eco Grief Questionnaire consisting of 6 items, and the Environmental Attitude Scale containing 20 items. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences was utilized to conduct correlation and t-tests, assessing the frequencies and percentages of demographics, as well as calculating the mean, standard deviation, reliability, and skewness of variables. The correlation analysis indicated a positive relationship among eco-anxiety, eco-grief, and environmental attitudes. A significant positive correlation was observed between eco-anxiety and environmental attitude (r=0.82, p<0.01), and between eco-grief and environmental attitude (r=0.80, p<0.01). The T-test was utilized to examine gender differences in the experiences of eco-anxiety and eco-grief. The findings demonstrated that females achieved significantly higher scores on the eco-grief scale compared to males. The findings indicate that eco-anxiety and eco-grief play a crucial role in fostering a proactive environmental attitude among adults, revealing notable differences between genders. The research highlights that eco-anxiety and eco-grief can strengthen an individual's emotional connection to nature. This increased connection often leads to a stronger commitment to preservation, thereby fostering a positive environmental attitude.