“More than a Feeling”: How Eco-Anxiety Shapes Pro-Environmental Behaviors and the Role of Readiness to Change

Eco-anxiety is a complex and multifaceted construct linked with engagement in pro-environmental behaviors. However, further investigation is needed to observe the putative psychological determinants potentially supporting this kind of relationship. In line with this, the study aimed to investigate differences between individuals with and without eco-anxiety in terms of their engagement in sustainable habits by also examining the psychological determinants above in terms of readiness to change (RTC). Additionally, the study also aimed to examine potential direct and indirect associations between these variables, distinguishing among the different dimensions of eco-anxiety as well as investigating the putative mediator role of RTC. Data were collected from 501 participants through an online survey. To address the research objectives, both Student’s t-tests and network analysis (NA) were conducted. Moreover, based on NA outputs, a mediation analysis was carried out. The results pointed out that certain dimensions of eco-anxiety (e.g., rumination) are directly linked to the enactment of pro-environmental behaviors. Conversely, other dimensions (e.g., behavioral symptoms) appear to be indirectly associated with sustainable behaviors through readiness to change (RTC). Moreover, the network analysis pointed out that some eco-anxiety dimensions may act differently in support of sustainable action engagement through a gender-sensitive perspective. Finally, the mediation analysis confirmed the role of some of the RTC dimensions in mediating the link between eco-anxiety factors and pro-environmental behaviors. In conclusion, this study highlighted the multidimensional nature of eco-anxiety, suggesting that, for certain dimensions, it may be necessary to target specific psychological determinants to effectively foster pro-environmental behavioral engagement.