Eco-anxiety in Indonesian adolescents and young adults and its influencing factors

Eco-anxiety, a form of anxiety related to environmental concerns, is an emerging mental health issue, especially in younger people. We explored the prevalence of eco-anxiety among young Indonesians and identify the contributing factors using an online questionnaire, consisting of socio-demographic factors and the Indonesian version of Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS-13), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Brief-COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced). We recruited 1,108 participants aged 10–24 years in Indonesia. Positive correlation was found between eco-anxiety and baseline anxiety (r = 0.697). Avoidant and emotion-focused coping methods showed a significant but weak (r = 0.398) and very weak correlation (r = 0.078) with eco-anxiety levels, respectively. Female gender, adolescent group age, current activity (school), mental illness history, residence, and lower family income were associated with higher eco-anxiety level. This highlights the need for targeted interventions and further research to reduce eco-anxiety and improve mental well-being in response to environmental challenges.