Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS): Psychometric properties in university students

In the 21st century, the necessity to face climate change has become urgent, giving rise to adverse psychological effects among individuals. Climate change anxiety, characterized by persistent apprehension about environmental catastrophes linked to climate change, has emerged as a noteworthy phenomenon. To gauge this phenomenon, researchers have introduced the Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS), a self-administered instrument composed of 22 items. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the 22-item CCAS, involving 189 university students. Utilizing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the factor structure of the Italian version of the CCAS was scrutinized. Reliability was gauged through Cronbach’s alphas, while concurrent validity was established with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). The CCAS exhibited an adequate fit for a four-factor model (cognitive- emotional impairment, functional impairment, experience of climate change, and behavioural engagement). Concurrent validity with PANAS and PHQ-4 was also confirmed. The Italian version of the CCAS was found to be a reliable tool for assessing climate change anxiety, even within the Italian context, presenting promising prospects for research and interventions to enhance well-being in the face of environmental issues.