Abstract Objective Awareness of eco‐anxiety in children, a chronic fear of environmental doom, is growing, yet research remains limited, partly due to the lack of a standardized measurement tool. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a new eco‐anxiety measurement tool for children to operationalize and systematically quantify this experience. Methods In Study 1, best‐practice guidelines were followed for scale development, four psychology researchers, five clinicians working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), one 18‐year‐old climate activist, two schoolteachers and five children engaged to develop the tool. In Study 2, the tool was then administered to 186 children aged 11–16 years (Female = 88, Male = 92, Other = 5), attending public and private schools in North East Scotland. This sample exceeded the minimum sample size of 150 participants required to reproduce population values, based on the hypothesized number of factors, variables and communalities, estimated following Mundfrom et al. (2005; International Journal of Testing , 5, 164) recommendations. Exploratory factor analysis, reliability testing, correlations, t ‐tests and thematic analysis of open‐ended responses were implemented to evaluate the tool. Results The initial eco‐anxiety measurement tool consisted of 56 items rated on a 5‐point Likert scale across three sub‐measures. These were refined following evaluation, resulting in the final tool consisting of 43 items across three unidimensional measures: biospheric eco‐concerns, functional symptoms, and emotional and behavioural experiences. Results support the tool's reliability, validity and alignment with children's understanding of this construct. Conclusion Eco‐anxiety emerged as a multifaceted, non‐pathological response to environmental crises, existing on a spectrum where hope correlates with pro‐environmental action. The measurement tool could be used in clinical practice and psychological/evaluation research.
Demetriou et al. (Tue,) studied this question.