Climate change distress and impairment in Germany

Climate change has been widely recognized as one of the most challenging problems facing humanity and it imposes serious mental health threats. It is important, however, to differentiate between the affective experience of distress over climate change and the functional impairments associated with climate change. Such a distinction is crucial because not all negative affective states are pathological, and they might even motivate pro-environmental behavior. Functional impairments, like not being able to work or maintaining social relationships, however, might require immediate treatment. This study assesses climate change distress and climate change impairment within the population of Germany using a population-representative sample. The results identify vulnerable subgroups and thereby can help to facilitate the development of target group specific intervention programs. Furthermore, this study explores whether climate change distress and climate change impairment are associated with general health, physical health, mental health, and diverse health behaviors.