Scoping review: climate change-related anxiety and worry in children, adolescents, and young adults
Abstract
Climate change is increasingly recognised as a significant threat to mental health, particularly among younger populations. Despite growing research attention, systematic syntheses of this emerging field still remain limited. This scoping review examined the prevalence of these emotional responses and their associations with mental health outcomes and related factors. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, we systematically searched APA PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science for studies published before December 2025. Eligible studies reported quantitative data on climate anxiety, concern, distress, or worry in community samples of individuals under the age of 25. A total of 51 studies met inclusion criteria. Prevalence estimates for the four constructs varied widely, ranging from 18% to 90%, reflecting inconsistencies in definitions and measurement tools. The available evidence suggests that climate-related anxiety and worry may be positively associated with reduced mental wellbeing, as well as with symptoms of depression and generalised anxiety disorder. Age, gender, socioeconomic status, place of residence, education level, climate change knowledge and exposure, and participation in climate action emerged as potential influencing factors. Future research using standardised measures and longitudinal methods, particularly in younger children, is needed to clarify the direction of…
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