Insights into eco-anxiety in Italy: Preliminary psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Hogg Eco-anxiety Scale, age and gender distribution

Eco-anxiety is a topic of extreme importance in Italy. The present study aimed to assess the preliminary psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS). Different internal structures of the HEAS were compared through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the four-factor model met the best criteria for adequacy of fit. Affective symptoms, rumination, behavioral symptoms, and anxiety about one’s negative impact on the planet are the dimensions captured by the 13 items of the HEAS, consistent with the results of the original study. Results highlight good internal consistency for all four subscales of the HEAS making it an adequate instrument to assess eco-anxiety in Italy and enrich research on the topic. Correlations with Climate Change Anxiety Scale, New Ecological Paradigm Scale-Revised, and Self-Reported Pro-Environmental Behaviours were examined. Gender, age distribution and mean differences between countries were also explored