Phd in DYNAMIC AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Thesis title: Affrontare gli effetti psicologici del cambiamento climatico con comportamenti pro-ambientali: uno studio esplorativo sulle eco-psicopatologie

Eco-psychopathologies represent an emerging field in psychology that examines the impact of environmental changes on human mental health. Recent studies have highlighted how extreme climatic events can contribute to the onset of psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, while also increasing the risk of aggressive or self-harming behaviors. However, the lack of specific data makes it difficult to accurately estimate the global prevalence of these conditions. This paper presents an exploratory analysis of the construct of eco-psychopathologies, focusing on the psychopathological manifestations related to the environment that have emerged in recent years. The first chapter provides an overview of the phenomenon through a systematic review of existing literature on the relationship between the natural environment and psychopathology. The second chapter introduces the Eco-Psychopathologies Interview (EPI), a semi-structured interview adapted from the Indiana Psychiatric Illness Interview, which was administered to an Italian sample and analyzed using the T-Lab text analysis software. Finally, the third chapter describes the Italian validation of the Solastalgia Scale and an exploratory analysis of the mediating role of anxiety and depression in the relationship between environmental changes and mental health. The findings of this research emphasize the need for further studies to develop diagnostic tools and effective intervention strategies in the field of eco-psychopathologies.