An exploration of eco-anxiety and environmental engagement in Malta using a mixed-methods research design

Abstract

The ongoing ecological crisis has stirred profound emotional, cognitive, and behavioural responses among individuals worldwide. One emotional response that has entered psychological research is eco-anxiety, which stems from concern over environmental events and the deteriorating state of our planet. Eco-anxiety can manifest in practical or debilitating forms, which can either lead to action or inaction, respectively, with the possibility of eco-anxiety becoming maladaptive. This study examined eco-anxiety, pro-environmental intentions and pro-environmental behaviours within the Maltese population, employing an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design, and adopting appraisal theory and the Campbell Paradigm of Attitudes as theoretical frameworks. The 13-item Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale was utilised to identify eco-anxiety levels in 243 Maltese adults through an online questionnaire. Furthermore, we explored the relationships of eco-anxiety with pro-environmental intentions and behaviours, and climate change news exposure. Both pro-environmental intentions and behaviours exhibited positive correlations with eco-anxiety, although the latter relationship was less pronounced. Eco-anxiety positively and significantly correlated with climate change news exposure. Subsequently, we conducted four qualitative focus groups as part of the second phase, delving deeper into Maltese individuals' risk perception, efficacy beliefs, environment-related attitudes, and pro-environmental intentions and behaviours. Participants predominantly expressed negative emotions in response to ecological degradation. These negative emotions aligned with participants' perceived lack of environmental efficacy in addressing the crisis through personal and collective actions, despite their desire and intention to act in a pro-environmental manner. Participants discussed perceived costs and barriers to acting pro-environmentally, including inconvenience, cost and time, that frequently outweighed their positive attitudes towards such behaviour. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of reframing the ecological crisis by promoting facilitators for pro-environmental behaviour, and encouraging active engagement, meaning-focused coping, and biospheric values. Such an approach would transform debilitating eco-anxiety into practical eco-anxiety, eco-hope, and eco-empathy. These findings have implications for both the fields of psychology and environmental conservation, offering insights into Maltese individuals’ experiences with eco-anxiety, and promoting pro-environmental action.