İklim değişikliğinin psikolojik sonuçları: Türk ergenlerde eko-kaygı, stres ve yaşam doyumu

Abstract

İklim değişikliği, özellikle uzun vadeli etkileri nedeniyle ergenlerde önemli psikolojik zorluklara yol açmaktadır. Bu çalışma, ergenlerde eko-kaygı, algılanan stres ve yaşam doyumu arasındaki ilişkileri inceleyerek bu değişkenlerin birbiriyle nasıl etkileşimde bulunduğunu açıklamayı amaçlamaktadır. Türkiye’de bir ilçede öğrenim gören lise öğrencileri arasında kesitsel bir çalışma yürütülmüştür. Tabakalı rastgele örnekleme yöntemiyle 416 katılımcı seçilmiştir. Veriler Eko-Kaygı Ölçeği, Algılanan Stres Ölçeği ve Yaşam Doyumu Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. İstatistiksel analizlerde korelasyon ve yol analizi uygulanmış; analizler SPSS 26 ve AMOS 23 programlarıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Eko-kaygı, algılanan stres ile pozitif yönde (r = 0.423, p < 0.001) ve yaşam doyumu ile negatif yönde (r = −0.298, p < 0.001) ilişkili bulunmuştur. Algılanan stres de yaşam doyumu ile negatif yönde ilişkili bulunmuştur (r = −0.530, p < 0.001). Yol analizi sonuçları, eko-kaygının algılanan stresi (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) ve yaşam doyumunu (β = −0.09, p = 0.047) anlamlı şekilde yordadığını göstermiştir. Ayrıca algılanan stres, yaşam doyumunun güçlü bir negatif yordayıcısıdır (β = −0.49, p < 0.001). Bulgular, eko-kaygı ve algılanan stresin ergenlerin yaşam doyumu üzerinde önemli etkileri olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. İklim değişikliği bağlamında ergenlerin iyilik hâlinin desteklenmesi için eko-kaygı ve stres yönetimine yönelik müdahalelerin geliştirilmesi kritik önem taşımaktadır.

Keywords

• iklim değişikliği
• eko anksiyete
• algılanan stres
• yaşam doyumu
• ergenler

Psychological costs of climate change: eco-anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction among Turkish adolescents

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to examine the relationships between eco-anxiety, perceived stress, and life satisfaction among Turkish adolescents and to explore the direct and indirect effects of eco-anxiety on life satisfaction. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 416 high school students selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Eco-Anxiety Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Life Satisfaction Scale. Statistical analyses, including correlation and structural equation modeling, were performed using SPSS 26 and AMOS 23. Results: Eco-anxiety was positively correlated with perceived stress (r=0.423, p<0.001; moderate association) and negatively correlated with life satisfaction (r=−0.298, p<0.001; small-to-moderate association). Perceived stress was negatively correlated with life satisfaction (r=−0.530, p<0.001; moderate-to-strong association). Structural equation modeling demonstrated acceptable model fit (CFI=.95, RMSEA=.045) and showed that eco-anxiety strongly predicted perceived stress (β=0.42, p<0.001) and had a small but statistically significant direct association with life satisfaction (β=−0.09, p=0.047), whereas perceived stress was a strong negative predictor of life satisfaction (β=−0.49, p<0.001). Conclusion: Eco-anxiety and perceived stress were significantly associated with adolescents’ life satisfaction. Interventions targeting eco-anxiety and stress management may be helpful for supporting adolescents’ psychological well-being in the context of climate-related concerns (eco-anxiety), although causal inferences cannot be drawn from this cross-sectional design. The conclusions drawn from this study are supported by an adequately fitting structural model and consistent patterns of small-to-moderate associations among the key variables.

Keywords

• Climate change
• eco-anxiety
• perceived stress
• life satisfaction
• adolescents

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