Is solastalgia associated with mental health problems? A scoping review

As global ecological crises accelerate, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the impact of associated environmental changes on mental health. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying the link between environmental changes and mental health problems remain underexplored. This scoping review investigates whether solastalgia-a form of distress caused by environmental change-acts as a potential contributing factor to mental health problems.

We conducted a systematic search of the databases PsycINFO and PubMed using the keyword 'solastalgia'. Initially, only studies that quantitatively assessed solastalgia and used validated mental health measures were included. A second, non-preregistered search expanded the scope to include studies that mentioned solastalgia and mental health without requiring quantitative solastalgia measures.

The studies retrieved in the initial search showed that solastalgia was positively associated with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The studies retrieved in the extended search supported these findings, with qualitative studies providing further evidence that solastalgia is a useful construct to understand the emotional responses of persons affected by environmental changes.

Solastalgia might be a factor contributing to the detrimental effects of climate change on mental health. Further quantitative research is warranted to inform the design of (preventive) interventions targeting solastalgia and thus mitigate climate change-induced mental health problems.