Identifying protective socio-ecological factors for college students in California’s deadliest wildfire

Abstract

Objectives: This case study examined multi-level social-ecological supports in promoting well-being through college students impacted by one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history.Participants: College students attending a large public university were surveyed (N = 354, M_{age =} 22.7, 76.2% female, 61% white).Methods: Measures included demographics, individual factors (mindfulness, sleep problems), social support (emotional support, family support, and friendship), and sense of community. Multiple linear regression models on well-being were constructed.Results: Findings indicated that mindfulness, sleep disturbances, emotional support, family support, number of close friends, and sense of community were significant predictors of well-being.Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of universities in proactively bolstering critical social-ecological needs of college students living in communities vulnerable to climate-change accelerated environmental disasters.

Keywords:

• Climate change
• community building
• environmental loss
• health promotion
• social support

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of United States and received approval from the Instituional Review Boards of University of California, San Diego (IRB#180140) and California State University Chico (IRB#22838).

Funding

This research was supported by University of California, San Diego (UCSD) lab start-up funds (JM), and the Tang Prize Foundation grant (JM). The funding bodies had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis and interpretation of data, or in writing the manuscript.