Climate Anxiety Among Youth: A Scoping Review of Influencing Factors and Their Role in Pro-Environmental Action

Background and Purpose:

Climate anxiety is a growing mental health concern among youth, driven by heightened awareness of climate change, uncertainty about the future, and perceptions of government inaction (Hickman et al., 2021). As distress linked to climate crises, climate anxiety manifests through depression, insomnia, restlessness, and hopelessness (Kankawale & Niedzwiedz, 2023). Due to their developmental stage, young people are especially vulnerable, increasing their risk of anxiety, substance use, and long-term mental health challenges (Sheth et al., 2017; Sanson et al., 2019). Social workers play a key role in addressing its effects, advocating for environmental justice and promoting resilience through education and support. Additionally, climate anxiety is a public health concern, as environmental changes worsen food insecurity, air quality deterioration, and healthcare access issues (APHA, 2024; NIH, 2024).

This scoping review seeks to answer the research question: How do the key factors contributing to climate anxiety among youth shape their perceptions of climate change, and how does this anxiety impact their engagement in pro-environmental behaviors?

Methods:

The scoping review was conducted in March 2025 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Article searches were performed across seven academic databases, including APA PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, Family & Society Studies Worldwide, GreenFile, and Web of Science. A total of 3,375 results were screened, with 26 studies ultimately included, two of which were sourced through reference chasing. Inclusion criteria required studies to present primary research or systematic reviews related to climate anxiety, specifically focusing on negative emotions such as fear, worry, or distress associated with perceived or actual climate threats. Eligible studies examined participants aged 18–25 years, though studies involving 16–25-year-olds were included if they centered on climate anxiety or related mental health challenges. Only peer-reviewed studies published in English qualified for inclusion.

Results:

The scoping review identified several key factors driving climate anxiety among youth. These include increased awareness of climate change, exposure to media (both direct and indirect climate impact coverage), perceptions of government inaction, feelings of being unheard, uncertainty about the future, powerlessness, emotional reactions to anticipated or observed losses, educational or activism experiences, and broader socio-political contexts. Additionally, individual factors such as gender, age, and existing mental health conditions play a significant role in climate anxiety experiences. Whether climate anxiety is perceived as negative or positive influences young people's likelihood of engaging in pro-environmental behaviors and other coping strategies. Notably, most studies focus on Western, industrialized nations, leaving critical gaps in research on youth climate anxiety in the Global South and other non-Western contexts.

Conclusions and Implications

These findings underscore the necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration between social work researchers and practitioners, with other ecologically focused scholars and policymakers to develop meaningful youth interventions. Future research should prioritize non-Western contexts, refine the definition of climate anxiety for eco-therapy applications, and integrate ecological perspectives into social work practices. This scoping review contributes to the broader discourse on mental health and climate justice, including promoting youth resilience in the face of climate change.