Measuring Climate Distress

Sara Fleszar-Pavlovic, PhD; Katie E. Alegria, PhD; the Health Decision Making SIG & the Climate Change and Health SIG

The topic of climate distress, including eco- and climate anxiety, has gained considerable attention in recent years, particularly among younger generations. Climate distress refers to the psychological distress or anxiety caused by concerns about the current and future impacts of climate change (Koder et al., 2023). Examples include anxiety and distress due to increased exposure to natural disasters, loss of homes and livelihoods, threats to personal safety, and uncertainty about the future of the planet (Arcanjo, 2019; Clayton et al., 2020; Cunsolo & Ellis, 2018; Hrabok et al., 2020). Although climate distress is considered a normative response to climate change or to experiencing a climate event (or threat), measuring climate distress should be a priority within your research.

Why is it important to measure climate distress?

• Documenting climate distress can uncover the emotional impacts of climate change and can provide valuable insights for policymakers enabling them to make informed decisions about climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
• Climate distress research can contribute to the development of mental health interventions tailored to the unique challenges posed by climate change. Monitoring climate distress over time allows us to assess effects of time and the effectiveness of these interventions and initiatives aimed at mitigating the psychological impacts of climate change.
• Measuring climate distress helps to identify the mental health and adaptation needs for populations that are disproportionately affected by climate change (e.g., low-income areas, developing countries, and marginalized groups) which allows for targeted support to assist in coping with the psychological impacts.
• Measuring climate distress can contribute to building individual and community resilience to climate change. By understanding the psychological challenges, we can develop strategies to enhance coping mechanisms, foster adaptation, and promote psychological well-being.

How is climate distress measured?

UCSF Stress Measurement Network offers a toolbox for various types of physiological and psychological measures of stress, including climate distress which can be accessed here. This tool, developed by Drs. Elissa Epel and Katie Alegria with input from Drs. Susan Clayton, Ans Vercammen, and Teaghan Hogg, includes a brief overview of the current literature and the most up-to-date measures of climate distress.

These measures include:

1. Climate Change Anxiety Scale (Clayton & Karazsia, 2020) 
2. Climate Change Distress and Impairment Scale (Hepp et al., 2022)
3. The Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (Hogg et al., 2021) 
4. Climate Distress Scale (Reser et al., 2012)
5. Climate Change Worry Scale (Stewart, 2021)
6. Climate Distress Flexibility Scale AAQ (adapted from the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; Bond et al., 2011)
7. Climate Change- Emotions Scale (Searle & Gow, 2009)
8. Screener for Climate Distress (adapted from the PHQ-2 depression screener [Kroenke et a., 2003] and the GAD-2 anxiety screener [Kroenke et a., 2007])

As climate distress is a burgeoning area of research, it is expected that more measures of climate distress will emerge. Accordingly, new measures of climate distress will be included within the UCSF Stress Measurement Network as they are developed and validated. Please contact StressNetwork@ucsf.edu with new scales that are candidates to be added to the toolbox.