Predicting climate change anxiety

Anxiety about climate change is increasing. What are its predictors? In a cross-sectional survey of 323 North Americans, six possible predictors and their interrelations were investigated: climate change knowledge, prior experience with climate change impacts, generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, climate change worry, climate change risk perception, and media exposure to climate change information. A model of the connections among them was proposed. Most hypotheses about the model's structure were supported, the model had a very good fit to the data, and it accounted for 54 percent of the variance in reported climate change anxiety. The results help to explicate who experiences climate change anxiety and suggest directions toward effective means of addressing climate-related mental health concerns. Some implications for theory and practice are offered. •Investigated six predictors of climate anxiety.•Created a model that accounts for over half of the variance in climate anxiety.•Knowledge, experience, and GAD symptoms were directly related to climate anxiety.•Media exposure and climate change worry were important mediators.