Anxiety in response to the climate and environmental crises: validation of the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale in Germany

Background

As the climate and environmental crises unfold, eco-anxiety, defined as anxiety about the crises' devastating consequences for life on earth, affects mental health worldwide. Despite its importance, research on eco-anxiety is currently limited by a lack of validated assessment instruments available in different languages. Recently, Hogg and colleagues proposed a multidimensional approach to assess eco-anxiety. Here, we aim to translate the original English Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS) into German and to assess its reliability and validity in a German sample.

Methods

Following the TRAPD (translation, review, adjudication, pre-test, documentation) approach, we translated the original English scale into German. In total, 486 participants completed the German HEAS. We used Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess whether the four-factorial model of the original English version could be replicated in the German sample. Furthermore, associations with a variety of emotional reactions towards the climate crisis, general depression, anxiety, and stress were investigated.

Results

The German HEAS was internally consistent (Cronbach's alphas 0.71-0.86) and the Bayesian CFA showed that model fit was best for the four-factorial model, comparable to the factorial structure of the original English scale (affective symptoms, rumination, behavioral symptoms, anxiety about personal impact). Weak to moderate associations were found with negative emotional reactions towards the climate crisis and with general depression, anxiety, and stress.

Discussion

Our results support the original four-factorial model of the scale and indicate that the German HEAS is a reliable and valid scale to assess eco-anxiety in German speaking populations.

Collectivistic Independence Promotes Group Creativity by Reducing Idea Fixation

The present study examined the joint impact of collectivistic value orientation and independent self-representation of group members upon group creativity. In a laboratory experiment involving three-person student teams ( N = 72), we induced a collectivistic (vs. an individualistic) value orientation and independent (vs. interdependent) self-representation via priming methods. Using a group-brainstorming paradigm, we found as expected that groups generated more original ideas when members combined a collectivistic value orientation with independent self-representation than with interdependent self-representation. By contrast, differences in self-representation did not have a significant effect when an individualistic value orientation was made salient. Furthermore, we found that this effect was mediated by the degree of idea fixation within the group, thereby illuminating the underlying cognitive mechanism of the observed synergy effect. Implications of the findings for research on group creativity and future directions are discussed.

Zusammenhänge zwischen Ekelempfindlichkeit, Ekelsensitivität und hypochondrischen Merkmalen

Theoretischer Hintergrund: Es gibt Hinweise, dass Ekelempfindlichkeit (Neigung, mit Ekel zu reagieren) und Ekelsensitivität (Neigung, Ekelempfindungen negativ zu bewerten) eine Rolle bei der Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung der Hypochondrie spielen. Fragestellung: Besteht ein Zusammenhang zwischen Ekelempfindlichkeit bzw. Ekelsensitivität und hypochondrischen Merkmalen? Bleiben diese Zusammenhänge bei statistischer Kontrolle anderer Persönlichkeitseigenschaften bestehen? Methodik: Sechsundvierzig Probandinnen bearbeiteten folgende Fragebögen: Whiteley-Index (hypochondrische Merkmale), Fragebogen zur Erfassung der Ekelempfindlichkeit, Skala zur Erfassung der Ekelsensitivität, Angst-Sensitivitäts-Index, State-Trait-Angst-Depressions-Inventar (Ängstlichkeit). Ergebnisse: Es zeigten sich jeweils positive Zusammenhänge zwischen Ekelempfindlichkeit bzw. Ekelsensitivität und Krankheitsängsten. Auch nach Kontrolle des Lebensalters, Angstsensitivität und Ängstlichkeit konnten beide Ekeldomänen zusätzlich 12 % der Varianz von Krankheitsängsten aufklären. Schlussfolgerung: Die Bedeutung von Ekel für hypochondrische Merkmale erscheint größer als bisher angenommen.