Associations between hurricane stressors, social capital, and climate anxiety among individuals who experienced Hurricanes Helene and Milton

This study examined how hurricane stressors and three forms of social capital-bonding, bridging, and linking-are associated with climate anxiety, and whether the three forms of social capital would moderate the relationship between hurricane stressors and climate anxiety. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey (N = 1,342) administered in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina following Hurricane Helene and in Florida following Hurricane Milton in 2024. Results showed that hurricane stressors were positively associated with climate anxiety, and these associations held after controlling for symptoms of generalized anxiety. Findings also revealed a nuanced role of social capital. Bonding social capital had a direct negative association with climate anxiety. However, our results suggested that bonding social capital's protective role is conditional and reverses under high stress. That is, bonding social capital weakened the relationship between hurricane stressors and climate anxiety only when hurricane stressors were low. As stressors accumulated, bonding social capital strengthened the association between stressors and climate anxiety. In contrast, both bridging and linking social capital were positively associated with climate anxiety and strengthened the positive relationship between hurricane stressors and climate anxiety. We discussed theoretical insights and practical implications.