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Is solastalgia associated with mental health problems? A scoping review
Alicia Vela Sandquist1, Leonie Biele1, Ulrike Ehlert1
1Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
BMJ Mental Health
|August 5, 2025
Summary
Solastalgia, a distress from environmental change, is linked to depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Further research is needed to develop interventions for climate change-related mental health issues.
Area of Science:
- Environmental psychology
- Climate change impacts
- Mental health research
Background:
- Global ecological crises are accelerating, increasing the need to understand their mental health consequences.
- The psychological mechanisms linking environmental change to mental health problems are not well understood.
- Solastalgia, a form of distress caused by environmental change, is a potential factor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate solastalgia as a contributing factor to mental health problems.
- To explore the psychological mechanisms between environmental change and mental health.
- To review existing literature on solastalgia and its relationship with mental health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted using PsycINFO and PubMed with the keyword 'solastalgia'.
- Initial inclusion criteria required quantitative assessment of solastalgia and validated mental health measures.
- An expanded search included qualitative studies and those mentioning solastalgia and mental health without quantitative measures.
Main Results:
- Initial quantitative studies showed positive associations between solastalgia and depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Expanded qualitative studies corroborated these findings.
- Solastalgia was confirmed as a valuable construct for understanding emotional responses to environmental changes.
Conclusions:
- Solastalgia may contribute to the negative mental health effects of climate change.
- Further quantitative research is necessary to develop targeted interventions.
- Mitigating climate change-induced mental health problems may involve addressing solastalgia.
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