Relationship between Eco-Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Behavior: Moderating Role of Resilience

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behavior among young adults, with a focus on the moderating role of resilience. The sample included young adults (N = 650) with an age range of 20–35 years. Eco-anxiety was measured using the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (Hogg et al., 2021), pro-environmental behavior was measured using the Pro-Environmental Behavior Scale (Aiman Khattak, 2023), and resilience was measured using the Brief Resilience Scale (Smith et al., 2008). Data were collected through convenient sampling. Results showed that eco-anxiety was positively related to pro-environmental behavior. Moderation analysis demonstrated that resilience moderates the relationship between eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behavior; the negative interaction term indicated that this relationship becomes weaker as resilience increases. Understanding the role of eco-anxiety in promoting pro-environmental behavior (PEB) is crucial for designing effective environmental policies and interventions.