Overview of Portfolio

The threat of climate change is increasingly impacting mental health, commonly referred to as ‘eco-distress’. Research indicates socio-economic status (SES) can impact on the way we cope with eco-distress, and people from low SES backgrounds have been highlighted as a vulnerable group. Therefore, understanding their experiences and potential vulnerability factors is key, as it could allow mental health professionals to offer appropriate, effective support. This thesis presents a narrative review and empirical study.

Part A (narrative review) explores the relationship between SES and environmental behaviours, attitudes, and eco-distress. The findings of this review suggest that there is limited literature covering these factors together, however there are emerging insights into the role of perceived efficacy and risk, and social factors. Research could benefit from further exploration of subjective experiences of SES and class, and environmental attitudes and behaviours, and their relationship to eco-distress. Consideration of these relationships could be beneficial for mental health professionals to offer appropriate support to improve wellbeing and mitigate the climate crisis across SES groups.

Part B (empirical study) presents a qualitative study exploring experiences of eco-distress in people from a low SES background. The findings suggested that participants felt disempowered to act on their eco-distress, due to resource barriers such as needing to prioritise meeting their basic needs. They also shared feeling powerless generally in society, which impacted their action on climate change. In addition, they highlighted social processes, such as believing higher SES groups should have increased responsibility, and feeling isolated and different from their peers due to differing environmental values and norms.