“Bringing children in a burning world?” The role of climate anxiety and threat perceptions on childbearing motivations of emerging adults in Switzerland

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_E29D0F76C437
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
“Bringing children in a burning world?” The role of climate anxiety and threat perceptions on childbearing motivations of emerging adults in Switzerland
Journal
Emerging Adulthood
Author(s)
Zimmermann G., Darwiche J., Messerli-Bürgi N., Van Petegem S., Mouton B., Venard G., Antonietti J.-P.
ISSN
2167-6968 (print)
2167-6984 (electronic)
Publication state
Submitted to the publisher
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Language
english
Abstract
This research investigates the relation between climate anxiety, threat perceptions for future generations, and childbearing motivations in childless emerging adults. Using a sample of 1211 Swiss college students aged 18-25, the study explores if threat perceptions mediate the relationship between climate anxiety and childbearing motivations. Results from structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that climate anxiety significantly predicted greater perceptions of threat, which in turn related to less positive childbearing motivations and more negative childbearing motivations. Specifically, the relationship between climate anxiety and childbearing motivations was partly to fully explained by threat perceptions, suggesting that worries about the future environment could be an important factor in emerging adults' complex reproductive considerations. No gender moderation was found. These findings highlight the potential psychological impacts of climate change on young adults’ personal life choices, emphasizing the need for policy and support mechanisms addressing climate anxiety and its broader social implications.
Keywords
Climate anxiety, Childbearing motivations, Future threat perception, , Emerging adults, Parenthood
Create date
09/05/2023 18:24
Last modification date
05/04/2024 8:14
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