Climate change education for transformation: exploring the affective and attitudinal dimensions of children’s learning and action

Abstract

In response to growing recognition for the mental health impacts of climate change, understanding the full range of children’s psychological experiences in climate change education (CCE) contexts is critical to developing approaches that support children’s constructive engagement and overall well-being. Through surveys and focus groups conducted with fifty-five children (ages 10–12), this mixed-methods study examined the affective and attitudinal impacts of a multi-site CCE program that encouraged children’s learning, reflection, and action. Findings suggest that, through the program, children acquired stronger pro-environmental attitudes, a deeper respect for nature, and a greater sense of urgency towards the need for climate action. Importantly, children’s negative emotions (e.g. fear, worry, anger, sadness) were mitigated by positive emotions grounded in youth-led climate action in family and community contexts. Findings are interpreted through theories of cognitive and affective transformation, which shed light on the beneficial micro- and macrolevel outcomes of children’s perspective shifts.

Keywords:

• Attitudes
• children
• climate change education
• emotions
• participatory action research
• transformative learning theory

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank the Boys and Girls Clubs and the research assistants who made this research possible: Anna Hoover, Christine Zirbel. Jade Croghan, Jimmy McCulloch, and Pauline Freud.

Disclosure statement

There are no competing interests to report.

Notes

1 According to Mezirow (1981), the process of transformative learning involves the following key elements: ‘(1) a disorienting dilemma; (2) self examination; (3) a critical assessment of personally internalized role assumptions and a sense of alienation from traditional social expectations; (4) relating one’s discontent to similar experiences of others or to public issues-recognizing that one’s problem is shared and not exclusively a private matter; (5) exploring options for new ways of acting; (6) building competence and self-confidence in new roles; (7) planning a course of action; (8) acquiring knowledge and skills for implementing one’s plans; (9) provisional efforts to try new roles and to assess feedback; and (10) a reintegration into society on the basis of conditions dictated by the new perspective’ (p. 7).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported through small grants by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (American Psychological Association [APA] Division 9); and the Society for Community Research and Action (APA Division 27).

Notes on contributors

Carlie D. Trott

Carlie Trott is an Assistant Professor in Psychology at the University of Cincinnati (UC) whose work emphasizes university-community partnerships to advance climate action and social justice. More specifically, Trott’s climate justice research agenda aims to bring visibility to, and work against the inequitable impacts of climate change, socially and geographically. As a social-community psychologist, community-engaged researcher, and action-oriented scholar, Trott’s work draws upon theories within and beyond psychology (e.g. social movement, ecological, and feminist theories), employs publicly-engaged and action-oriented research methods, and often integrates the arts and sciences to center the voices and actions of those most affected by environmental injustice and the climate crisis.