Canadian Adolescents Perceptions of Survey Questions about Climate Emotions and Coping Strategies

BACKGROUND: Globally, there is increased research and media attention about how young people are experiencing climate change. Much of this attention is about the worry and concern young people feel about climate change, with recent survey research finding that the majority of young people are at least moderately worried about climate change. OBJECTIVES: To examine the perceptions that Canadian adolescents have about survey measures that have been used to study climate emotions and the coping strategies they use. METHODS: Seven online focus groups occurred in December 2022 with Canadian adolescents aged 15-18. The focus groups began with a brainstorming activity followed by a semi-structured discussion about climate emotion survey questions that have been used in previous surveys. Data were analyzed using rapid thematic analysis. RESULTS: Overall, Canadian adolescents showed a preference for questions that allowed for more nuance in their response. Questions that were seen to allow for a variety of perspectives were also favored. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study can be used to guide survey item development/adaptation in this emerging field of inquiry. KEY MESSAGES: • Participants indicated a preference for multi-item questions in relation to climate emotions. • Focusing on coping items was deemed a priority.