Associations of Metacognition, Mental Toughness, and Self-Efficacy With Eco-Anxiety in Adolescents: A Structural Equation Modeling

OBJECTIVE: Global warming is increasingly recognized as a significant current issue, and its consequences are becoming more serious over time. However, the environmental effects of global warming on children and adolescents have not yet been sufficiently understood. Our study examined metacognition, mental toughness, and self-efficacy as psychological predictors of eco-anxiety in adolescents using a structural equation modeling framework. METHODS: A total of 334 adolescents aged 15-17 years completed standardized self-report measures assessing eco-anxiety, metacognition, mental toughness, and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Eco-anxiety was analyzed within its four-factor structure to identify cognitive vulnerability and resilience-related mechanisms. Mental toughness was negatively associated with emotional symptoms (β=-0.288, p<0.001) and personal impact concerns (β=-0.259, p< 0.001). In contrast, metacognitive processes were positively associated with rumination (β=0.532, p<0.001) and emotional symptoms (β=0.307, p<0.001). Self-efficacy showed a differential pattern, being positively related to behavioral symptoms (β=0.194, p=0.003) while negatively associated with personal impact concerns (β=-0.156, p=0.007). Girl gender was associated with higher rumination (β=0.164, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that eco-anxiety in adolescents represents a multidimensional construct shaped by distinct cognitive vulnerability and resilience-related mechanisms. Metacognitive processes, mental toughness, self-efficacy, and sociodemographic characteristics may be important relevant variables in understanding individual differences in eco-anxiety among adolescents. In our world where the challenges of climate change persist, it is recommended that future studies further investigate the potential benefits, for adolescents, of preventive mental health interventions targeting metacognitive processes, mental resilience, and self-efficacy related to eco-anxiety.