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Chapter 8 - Cognitive Behavioral Principles for Conceptualizing Young People’s Eco-Emotions and Eco-Distress

from Part I - Conceptual Foundations of Climate Distress in Young People

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2024

By
Elizabeth Marks  and
Kelsey Hudson
Edited by
Elizabeth Haase  and
Kelsey Hudson
Elizabeth Haase
Affiliation:
University of Nevada, Reno
Kelsey Hudson
Affiliation:
Climate Psychology Alliance North America
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Summary

Young people’s ecologically related thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical sensations arise alongside a multitude of factors in their internal and external environments. This can be complex to understand and organize in therapeutic settings. Cognitive behavioral frameworks can be useful for understanding distress in young people and can encourage cognitive, emotional, and behavioral flexibility in their responses. This chapter provides an approach to eco-related psychological distress based on cognitive behavioral theory that can be used across a range of presentations. An overview of cognitive behavioral theory is provided, with an explanation about how it can provide insight into what can exacerbate and ameliorate unhelpful levels of eco-distress. Two examples of case conceptualizations are offered – one showing impairing eco-distress and one showing constructive eco-distress. The strengths and limitations of cognitive behavioral case conceptualizations are discussed.

Keywords

eco-distresscognitive behavioral theoryyouthcase conceptualizationsclimate change
Type
Chapter
Information
Climate Change and Youth Mental Health
Multidisciplinary Perspectives
 , pp. 148 - 167
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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