Assessment of Climate Change Anxiety in High School Youths of Kwale County, Kenya

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dc.contributor.authorMutua, Patrick M.
dc.contributor.authorKauti, Matheaus K.
dc.contributor.authorMwangangi, Leonard
dc.contributor.authorNzilani, Musyoka Sonnia
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-17T12:44:46Z
dc.date.available2024-01-17T12:44:46Z
dc.date.issued2023-12
dc.descriptionArticleen_US
dc.description.abstractClimate change anxiety refers to negative cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and functional responses to experiences of climate change and has implications on mental health. The current study sought to determine how climate change anxiety relates to cognitive-emotional and functional impairments as well as with experience of climate change and behavioural engagement in youths. The study surveyed 388 youths (aged 13-24 years) in high schools in Kwale County, Kenya. Data were analysed in XLSTAT software usingPearson's correlation and considered significant for values of p ≤ 0.05. Over 60 % of the youths had more than "Sometimes" suffered cognitive-emotional impairment, while 63 % were more than "Sometimes" inflicted with functional impairment. Additionally, 61 % of the respondents more than "Sometimes" reported having had a climate change experience. However, 71 % of the youths were more than "Sometimes" engaged in climate change behavioural activities. There were no significant gender differences in the scores. Cognitive-emotional impairment (M = 2.507, SD = 1.267) was significantly (P = 0.0048) associated with behavioural engagement in climate change (M = 3.019, SD = 1.403). Youths attending day schools scored significantly (P = 0.022) higher in functional impairment (M = 2.897, SD = 1.182) than students in boarding schools (M = 2.535, SD = 1.395). Youths aged 13-17 years were substantially more affected by climate change anxiety than those aged 18-24 years. This study identifies a population at risk with highexposure and vulnerability to the health impacts of climate change. The study suggests the need for policies to address climate change anxiety in youths in schools and the use of the youths' pro-environmental behavioural engagements in climate change to improve their adaptive capacity.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMutua, P. M., Kauti, M. K., Mwangangi, L., & Nzilani, M. S. (2023). Assessment of Climate Change Anxiety in High School Youths of Kwale County, Kenya. African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability, 2(1), 210-223.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.37284/ajccrs.2.1.1610
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/27289
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherEANSOen_US
dc.subjectClimate Changeen_US
dc.subjectClimate Change Anxietyen_US
dc.subjectCognitive-Emotional Impairmenten_US
dc.subjectFunctional Impairmenten_US
dc.subjectExperience of Climate Changeen_US
dc.subjectBehavioural Engagementsen_US
dc.titleAssessment of Climate Change Anxiety in High School Youths of Kwale County, Kenyaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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