A meta-synthesis of the coping strategies children and young people use to navigate the psychological and emotional impacts of climate distress and “taking the green pill”: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of climate distress

Morgan, Jessica 2025. A meta-synthesis of the coping strategies children and young people use to navigate the psychological and emotional impacts of climate distress and “taking the green pill”: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of climate distress. ClinPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

	PDF (DClinPsy Thesis) - Accepted Post-Print Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 25 September 2026 due to copyright restrictions. Download (5MB) | Request a copy
	PDF (Cardiff University Electronic Publication Form) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (87kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

The climate crisis is increasingly recognised not just as an environmental emergency, but as a growing psychological concern. This thesis explores how individuals experience and cope with ‘climate distress’ (CD), a term that encapsulates a wide range of emotional and psychological responses to the climate crisis. The current literature on CD is still in its early stages. The concept itself remains poorly defined, and there is limited understanding of the lived experience of those affected. This thesis combines a meta-synthesis of existing qualitative research with an empirical study, providing insight into the lived experiences of those feeling distressed about climate change and the coping strategies they employ. The first section presents a synthesis of 11 qualitative studies examining how young people cope with CD. Given that this age group is especially vulnerable to the long-term consequences of climate change, both physically and psychologically, it is crucial to understand how they cope with these challenges. The synthesis identified a spectrum of coping strategies that fell into two broad categories: “stepping in” (engagement with climate issues) and “stepping out” (distancing from them to preserve mental wellbeing). Engagement included activism, community involvement, and environmentally conscious behaviour, often providing a sense of purpose and moral alignment. However, these actions could also result in burnout or further distress when young people felt their efforts were insufficient. In contrast, strategies to distance from climate issues, e.g. avoidance, distraction, and minimising the threat of climate change, offered temporary emotional relief but often led to feelings of guilt. A recurring theme was the difficulty of achieving a sustainable balance between these two styles of coping. Many young people felt trapped in a “double bind”, a situation in which any response to CD resulted in a sense of internal conflict and continually perpetuated their experience of distress. This synthesis challenges traditional models of coping, which often classify strategies as problem, emotion, or meaning-focused. While these frameworks are useful, they fail to capture the moral and identity-driven aspects of CD. This thesis proposes a more nuanced understanding: that coping in this context is not simply about reducing distress, but about negotiating moral identity and personal values within a complex and largely threatening situation. The findings have important implications for clinicians, educators, and policymakers seeking to support youth in managing these complex emotions. The second section of the thesis is an empirical study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to research the lived experience of CD among ten adult participants. This qualitative approach allowed for a rich, detailed exploration of how distress is experienced, understood, and managed. The results of this study found that CD is likely deeply rooted in individuals’ moral identity and experiences of moral injury, whereby feelings of failure, guilt, shame and powerlessness arise from witnessing or engaging in actions that do not align with individual’s moral code. Aiming to mitigate moral injury often led participants to moral perfectionism - wanting to constantly act in complete alignment with their ethical values. CD, therefore, became an all-consuming experience, behaviourally, cognitively, and socially. Misalignment with values or attempts to find relief often triggered further moral conflict and distress. Some participants found temporary respite in values-driven action. However, similar to the findings of the meta-synthesis, the need for continuous engagement often resulted in burnout or self-criticism and further distress when perceived as insufficient. Participants also reported that their distress was frequently misunderstood or invalidated by others, including mental health professionals. This left them feeling isolated and unsure where to turn for support. Together, this synthesis and empirical study offers a clearer picture of CD as a morally and psychologically complex experience. They reveal a need for support systems that are emotionally validating and contextually sensitive. Psychological interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) may be particularly helpful. These approaches promote flexibility, self-compassion, and sustainable values-based action, helping individuals manage their distress without becoming overwhelmed or consumed by it. Clinically, the work argues to not pathologise CD, but to recognise it as a response to a real threat. Nevertheless, CD still becomes internalised, and the ongoing internal conflict perpetuating distress indicates a role for clinical psychology in strengthening the conceptualisation of CD and in the provision of appropriate support to those affected. This thesis contributes an understanding of CD that better reflects its dynamic, identity-based, and moral nature, and identifies clinical implications which are more sensitive to these core elements of the distress. In summary, this thesis provides timely and practical insights into the psychological impact of the climate crisis. It adds to the growing literature and offers new evidence for a moral/identity based conceptualisation of CD. This thesis highlights the importance of exploring individuals’ experiences of moral injury and inner conflict both clinically and in future research, as well as the need to support individuals to balance their moral and well-being needs more equitably to live meaningfully alongside CD.

Item Type:	Thesis (DClinPsy)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 September 2025
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2025 15:47
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181343

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item