Climate Change and Student Stress: The Impact of Climate Change on the Mental Health of University Students

Abstract

The prevalence of climate change in our world today has provoked immense fear and panic among members of society. As young people who are navigating the world during this unprecedented time, university students are especially impacted by environmental changes. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, this study explores how university students’ mental well-being is impacted by climate change. To understand this relationship, environmental identity, climate anxiety, and negative feelings towards climate change were studied. Additionally, students’ program of study was investigated as a moderator of this relationship, to determine whether students in science-based programs were more strongly impacted by climate change. This study was conducted through the use of an anonymous online survey consisting of both quantitative and qualitative questions distributed to the McMaster University undergraduate population. This survey accumulated a total of 40 complete responses that underwent statistical and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that the mental health of undergraduate students was strongly impacted by climate change. Additionally, those in science-based programs identified more strongly with the environment and experienced greater anxiety and overall negative feelings towards climate change than those in non-science-based programs. While this topic is still in need of additional research, this study provides insight into the social implications of climate change by understanding how impacts the mental health of university students.