Studies Link Rumination to Climate Anxiety; Brief Writing Exercises Show No Clear Benefit

Climate anxiety has become a recognized psychological response among young people facing the escalating threats of climate change. While cognitive emotion regulation strategies are believed to influence how individuals manage this distress, the specific relationships between these mental habits and pro-environmental actions have remained unclear. A new study published in BMC Psychology examines these dynamics through a sequential two-study design involving Slovenian young adults. The research investigates how rumination and planning correlate with climate-related distress and environmental engagement, and it evaluates the efficacy of brief self-guided interventions aimed at modifying these cognitive patterns.

The first study employed a cross-sectional design to assess associations between various cognitive strategies and climate outcomes. The sample consisted of 442 participants aged between 18 and 24 years, with 75.8 percent identifying as female. Researchers measured levels of rumination, catastrophising, positive refocusing, and refocus on planning. These cognitive variables were then analyzed in relation to self-reported climate anxiety and pro-environmental behaviour. This initial phase provided a baseline understanding of how different mental processes align with emotional responses to climate change and subsequent environmental actions.

Results from the cross-sectional study indicated that rumination emerged as the strongest correlate of climate anxiety. Participants who engaged more frequently in repetitive, negative thinking about climate issues reported higher levels of anxiety. Conversely, refocus on planning was identified as the strongest correlate of pro-environmental behaviour. This suggests that while dwelling on negative aspects of climate change is linked to distress, the act of planning may be associated with greater engagement in environmental activities. The distinction between these two cognitive strategies highlights the nuanced role of mental processing in climate-related psychology.

To test whether these associations could be leveraged for intervention, the second study was conducted as a randomised controlled trial. This phase involved 89 young adults, also aged 18 to 24, with a higher proportion of female participants at 92.1 percent. The trial compared three conditions: a control group, a group engaging in expressive writing, and a group combining expressive writing with planning exercises. The study assessed changes in climate anxiety, climate worry, pro-environmental behaviour or intentions, rumination, and planning across repeated measurements to determine the impact of these brief interventions.

The findings from the randomised controlled trial revealed that neither the expressive writing nor the combined writing and planning interventions led to significant long-term changes in the measured outcomes. Specifically, the interventions did not result in reduced climate anxiety or climate worry, nor did they increase pro-environmental behaviour or behavioural intentions. Furthermore, there were no significant changes in the levels of rumination or refocus on planning over time. This lack of effect suggests that brief, self-guided cognitive exercises may be insufficient to produce meaningful shifts in the complex relationship between climate distress and environmental action.

Despite the absence of long-term benefits, the study observed short-term effects immediately following the exercises. Both intervention groups experienced increases in climate worry in the immediate aftermath of the writing tasks. This transient rise in worry indicates that confronting climate-related thoughts through writing can temporarily heighten emotional distress. However, these short-term spikes did not translate into sustained improvements in well-being or behaviour, underscoring the limitations of simple writing exercises as a standalone therapeutic tool for climate anxiety.

Exploratory analyses provided additional insight into the dynamic relationship between cognitive strategies and emotional outcomes. The researchers found that increases in rumination, observed across all conditions including the control group, were associated with subsequent increases in climate anxiety and climate worry over time. This temporal association reinforces the link between repetitive negative thinking and the escalation of distress. It suggests that rumination may serve as a mechanism through which climate-related concerns intensify, potentially creating a cycle of increasing anxiety and worry.

The study’s conclusions highlight the complex interplay between cognitive emotion regulation and climate-related outcomes. Rumination appears to be a consistent correlate of climate distress, acting as a potential driver of anxiety and worry. On the other hand, planning seems to accompany both climate concern and pro-environmental engagement, suggesting a dual role in how young adults process and respond to environmental threats. The findings imply that effective interventions may need to target specific cognitive patterns more directly or employ more intensive methods than brief self-guided exercises.

These results contribute to the growing body of literature on the psychological impacts of climate change. By distinguishing between the detrimental effects of rumination and the potential benefits of planning, the study offers a more granular view of climate anxiety. The lack of efficacy for the brief interventions tested suggests that future research should explore more robust therapeutic approaches, possibly drawing from cognitive behavioural therapy principles, to help young adults manage climate distress without hindering their pro-environmental motivations. The study underscores the need for tailored strategies that address the specific cognitive mechanisms underlying climate-related psychological responses.

The research was partially funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency, supporting the project on the prevalence and factors of climate anxiety among Slovenian youth. The authors emphasize that the findings are based on a specific population of young adults in Slovenia, and further research is needed to determine the generalizability of these results to other demographics and contexts. As climate change continues to pose significant challenges, understanding the psychological dimensions of this crisis remains crucial for developing effective support systems and fostering sustainable behavioural change.

Subject of Research: Psychology

Article Title: The role of rumination and planning in climate anxiety, worry, and pro-environmental behaviour among young adults: evidence from two studies

Article References: Smrke, U., Gračner, J., Zorjan, S., & Plohl, N. (2026). The role of rumination and planning in climate anxiety, worry, and pro-environmental behaviour among young adults: evidence from two studies. BMC Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05700-1

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-05700-1

Keywords: Climate Anxiety, Rumination, Pro-environmental Behaviour, Cognitive Emotion Regulation, Young Adults, Randomised Controlled Trial, role, planning, climate, anxiety, worry, pro-environmental