Work

Do perceived natural environment and eco-anxiety relate to mental health and quality of life? Findings from a representative adult sample

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: • Used linear mixed regression models to test relations between environment, mental health and life satisfaction. • Eco-anxiety has a small impact on quality of life but not on mental distress. • Socioeconomic situation alone explains almost all the variation in mental distress and life satisfaction results. • Future research might focus on these associations in the context of environmental degradation and climate disasters. Using data representing the Australian community (n=1083), this study examines whether there is a link between the way individuals perceive their natural living environment and their mental health state. Linear mixed model regressions are used to assess the associations of environmental (perception of environmental problems and eco-anxiety) and non-environmental variables on mental health and quality of life. A small significant association between eco-anxiety and quality of life was found but no significant effects of environmental variables were obtained on mental distress. Our findings suggest that non-environmental explanatory variables, in particular the socioeconomic situation, drive more variance in mental health.

Source: Wellbeing Space and Society

DOI: 10.1016/j.wss.2024.100220

Authors: Aglaé Drion, Pierre O. Jacquet, Kimberly Brown, Philip J. Batterham