Climate crisis and mental health: a scoping review eco-anxiety in latinamerican adults
Main Article Content
Keywords
Anxiety, Climate Change, Mental Health, Young Adult, Environmental Exposure
Abstract
Eco-anxiety is the emotional response to the climate crisis, characterized by persistent distress, environmental concern, and physical and behavioral symptoms that affect daily life. Among young adults in Latin America, it lacks a consistent definition and shows variability in assessment instruments and associated factors. A scoping review was conducted following JBI and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, with no year or language restrictions, across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, BIREME-BVS and SciELO. Two independent reviewers selected, extracted, and synthesized data from observational and experimental studies, without evaluating risk of bias. Five Latin American studies were included, employing tools such as the Climate Change Anxiety Scale and adapted self-report measures. Identified risk factors included being female, a history of anxiety, perception of governmental inaction, and exposure to extreme events. Most studies used cross-sectional designs and reported associations between climate concern and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and social dysfunction. Regional research is limited and lacks conceptual standardization. Eco-anxiety in young adults from Latin America represents an emerging phenomenon with clinical, social, and environmental implications. Longitudinal studies and rigorous diagnostic methodologies are needed to consolidate its conceptualization and integrate it into public policies and health systems.
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