Sustainable behavior among students: the role of pollution risk perception and environmental policies in Romania and the United States

Understanding the factors associated with sustainable behavior is important for developing effective environmental policies and educational strategies. However, only a few studies have simultaneously examined pollution risk perception, beliefs regarding environmental public policies, and sustainable behavior within a comparative cross-national framework. This study investigates the relationships among these constructs using data collected from a cross-sectional survey of 555 university students (294 from Romania and 261 from the United States). The proposed conceptual model was evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), complemented by bootstrapping, the measurement invariance of composite models (MICOM) procedure, and multi-group analysis (MGA). The results support all three hypothesized relationships. Pollution risk perception showed the strongest positive association with beliefs about environmental public policies and was also positively associated with sustainable behavior. The three hypothesized structural paths were positive and statistically significant in both national samples. The exploratory multi-group analysis did not detect statistically significant differences between the estimated path coefficients. These results do not demonstrate formal cross-country equivalence because compositional invariance was not established for RISKP and SUSTB. The country-specific estimates are therefore interpreted independently. By integrating psychological and institutional factors within a single analytical framework and providing exploratory evidence from student samples in an emerging and a developed economy, this study contributes to a better understanding of sustainable behavior among university students. The findings offer practical implications for higher education institutions, environmental agencies, and policymakers seeking to strengthen environmental awareness and promote sustainable practices through evidence-based educational and policy interventions.