A latent class analysis of climate change concern and environmental responsiveness among parents: associations with eco-anxiety, parental burnout, and environmental parenting
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY, cilt.45, sa.17, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 45 Sayı: 17
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s12144-026-10011-0
- Dergi Adı: CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, BIOSIS, Psycinfo, Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Business Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examined differences in parents' views, behaviors, and concerns regarding climate change and environmental issues among parents of pre-school-aged children. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, the study included 545 parents of children aged 3-6 years. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Parental Views and Behaviors Regarding Climate Change and the Environment Form, the Eco-Anxiety Scale, and the Parental Burnout Assessment. Latent class analysis was conducted using Mplus. A three-class solution was retained based on the overall pattern of model-selection evidence, classification accuracy, parsimony, and substantive interpretability. The classes were labelled as low climate change concern and information-seeking (13%), moderate climate change concern and nature connectedness (14%), and high climate change concern and environmental sensitivity (73% in the primary three-category coding scheme). Parents in the high climate change concern and environmental sensitivity class reported higher eco-anxiety than those in the other classes. Total parental burnout did not differ significantly across classes; however, emotional exhaustion was higher in the high climate change concern and environmental sensitivity class. Child-related environmental indicators also differed across classes, including two parent-reported environmental parenting behaviors and parents' evaluations of their children's environmental awareness. Parents in the high climate change concern and environmental sensitivity class reported more frequent encouragement of environmentally responsible behaviors and support for children's connection with nature, and they evaluated their children's environmental awareness more positively. The findings suggest that parents' responses to climate change are not uniform and should be examined in relation to climate concern, information-seeking, nature connectedness, eco-anxiety, and child-centered environmental parenting. Overall, this person-centered approach highlights heterogeneity in how climate-related concern and parenting-related processes co-occur within families.