Distinguishing climate change worry from state climate anxiety across 32 countries: implications for subjective wellbeing

Abstract The concepts of “climate change worry” and “climate change anxiety” are often used interchangeably in climate research, but they may reflect distinct emotional responses to climate change, which could potentially have different implications for public mental health. This research brief aims to empirically examine the differences between these two constructs by comparing their associations with key indicators of subjective wellbeing. Using survey data from 32 countries ( N = 12,246), we compared how strongly climate change worry and state climate anxiety were each associated with subjective wellbeing, as measured by the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index and life satisfaction. State climate anxiety showed stronger associations with both WHO-5 Wellbeing Index and life satisfaction than climate change worry. This underscores the importance of treating the two as distinct emotional responses, each with different implications for public wellbeing. These insights are especially relevant for policymakers and climate communicators, who must carefully consider the emotional tone of climate messaging to foster constructive engagement while safeguarding the psychological wellbeing of the public.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences
Published
2026-05-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-026-01120-0
Primary Topic
Climate Change Communication and Perception
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Distinguishing climate change worry from state climate anxiety across 32 countries: implications for subjective wellbeing

Joonha Park, Chee‐Seng Tan, Jihane Ghorayeb, Daniel Hanss et al.
Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences
Climate Change Communication and Perception
article

Distinguishing climate change worry from state climate anxiety across 32 countries: implications for subjective wellbeing

Joonha Park, Chee‐Seng Tan, Jihane Ghorayeb, Daniel Hanss, Laura Martínez‐Buelvas, Julie Aitken Schermer, Elahe Ghanbarian, Mai Helmy, Karlijn L. van den Broek, Hajra Tahir, Takashi Tsubakita, Radha Yadav, Anna Włodarczyk, Rahkman Ardi, Arin H. Ayanian, Charles Onyutha, Su Lu, Feng Jiang, Tomáš Sollár, Charles A. Ogunbode, Violeta Enea, Rouven Doran, Razieh Chegeni, Aydın Bayad, Navjot Bhullar, Mai Albzour, Sibele Aquino, Marc Eric S. Reyes, Tatiana Volkodav, Daniela Acquadro Maran, Eun Hee Lee, Kehinde Ojewumi, JohnBosco Chika Chukwuorji, Mehmet Karasu, Ginés Navarro-Carrillo, Tiago Marot, Winfred Mbungu, Michael J. Lomas, Katariina Salmela-Aro, Samuel L. B. Lins
article en

Abstract

Abstract The concepts of “climate change worry” and “climate change anxiety” are often used interchangeably in climate research, but they may reflect distinct emotional responses to climate change, which could potentially have different implications for public mental health. This research brief aims to empirically examine the differences between these two constructs by comparing their associations with key indicators of subjective wellbeing. Using survey data from 32 countries ( N = 12,246), we compared how strongly climate change worry and state climate anxiety were each associated with subjective wellbeing, as measured by the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index and life satisfaction. State climate anxiety showed stronger associations with both WHO-5 Wellbeing Index and life satisfaction than climate change worry. This underscores the importance of treating the two as distinct emotional responses, each with different implications for public wellbeing. These insights are especially relevant for policymakers and climate communicators, who must carefully consider the emotional tone of climate messaging to foster constructive engagement while safeguarding the psychological wellbeing of the public.

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences
Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (DE), Rochester Institute of Technology - Dubai (AE), Kuban State University (RU), Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi (TR), University of Nigeria (NG), Western University (CA), University of Helsinki (FI), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (RO), Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar (CO), University of Nottingham (GB), University of Alberta (CA), University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (MY), Universidad de Granada (ES), Universidade do Porto (PT), University of Oslo (NO), Utrecht University (NL), Yerevan State University (AM), Universitas Airlangga (ID), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (BR), Universidad Católica del Norte (CL), Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (SK), Forskning.no (Norway) (NO), Kyoto University of Education (JP), Indian Institute of Management Ranchi (IN), Kyambogo University (UG), University of Bergen (NO), Obafemi Awolowo University (NG), Sultan Qaboos University (OM), University of Salford (GB), University of Greenwich (GB), University of Turin (IT), De Montfort University (GB), University of Santo Tomas (PH), Sokoine University of Agriculture (TZ), University of New England (AU), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (MY), Birzeit University (PS)
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Climate Change Communication and Perception
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