Understanding eco-distress in Scotland’s young people
About the study
Children and young people have a right to be heard about the issues that impact them. We know that children and young people have lots of concerns and worries about climate change and the impact this has and continues to have on the environment. Feeling anxious and worried about the environment is sometimes referred to as "eco-distress” or “eco-anxiety”.
This study will explore how young people in Scotland are experiencing feelings of eco-distress, find out about the impact this has and create recommendations for decision-makers on what should be done to address this.
The project is funded by ClimateXChange and is being carried out by the Scottish Centre for Social Research and Children in Scotland. ScotCen is part of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). ScotCen is an independent research agency and registered charity. You can find out more about us here: www.scotcen.org.uk. Children in Scotland is a charity which works to make sure children and young people’s voices are heard on the issues that matter most to them.
You can find out more about ClimateXChange here: https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/
What will taking part involve?
We want to speak to children and young people between the ages of 10 and 25. There are two different ways you could be involved in the research:
- Taking part in a focus group which has been organised with a group that you are already taking part in e.g. a youth group or activism group.
- Taking part in an online one-to-one interview with a researcher
The interview will include questions about how you feel about climate change and how you would like to hear about climate change
The focus groups will cover the same topics but will include activities such as quizzes, art, and games.
Why have I been invited to take part?
You have been asked to take part because you are between 10 and 25 years old.
If you have been invited to take part in a focus group, this is because you already part of a group which is taking part in this research. This could be a youth group or activism group that you are engaged in.
If you have been invited to take part in an interview, with is because you, or someone in your household, is part of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) Panel and you or them have agreed to be contacted about opportunities to get involved in research on a wide range of topics.
Why should I take part?
As a young person, you are the expert. We want to hear from you about what you think about climate change, any impact it has on you, and how you and other young people can be supported with their concerns about the climate.
Do I have to take part?
No. Your views are very important, but it’s up to you whether you take part. If you decide to take part, you don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to, and you can leave the discussion at any time.
I am a parent/carer of a child or young person under the age of 16. What am I being asked to do?
As a parent/carer of a child or young person that is under 16 years old, we will need your and your child’s consent to take part in the research.
We would like you to share this information with them and see if they would be interested in being involved.
We want to make sure your child’s voice is heard in the interview or focus group. If your child is interested and would like support from you, you can be in the room with them or share any information with us that would help them to take part.
How do I take part?
If you have been invited to take part in a focus group as part of a group you already attend, you can let the person who organizes your group know that you are interested.
If you would like to take part in an interview, you can email us at climate@scotcen.org.uk to let us know you are interested in taking part.
What will happen to the information I give?
With your permission, we would like to audio-record the discussion in the interview or focus group, so we remember what you said. We will not video record the interview or group.
Only the ScotCen and Children in Scotland team will see your information, and we will not share this with anyone else.
Will my information be kept private?
Yes. What you tell us will be used in a report at the end of the project. Quotes from the report might be used in other ways, like in magazine articles or on social media but it will always link back to the original report. We will not use your name, and will make sure that no-one can tell who you are from anything we put in the report.
To learn more about how we store and use your personal information and your rights to look at your data, click here to read our privacy notice.