Testing the properties of the Eco-Anxiety questionnaire (EAQ) for exploring eco-anxiety phenomenon

Introduction. Eco-anxiety has gained attention in recent years. While anxiety is typically viewed as a disorder, eco-anxiety may also be seen as a rational response to environmental threats, potentially driving pro-environmental behavior. The present study aimed to develop and validate a new brief tool, the Eco-Anxiety Questionnaire (EAQ), to assess psychological symptoms, intrusive thoughts, and a sense of responsibility associated with eco-anxiety. Methods. An online survey collected data from 228 Italian adults (Mean age= 31.29, SD = 13.71; age range: 18–60; 77% women). The EAQ was developed from an initial pool of 50 items and refined through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to a final set of 25 items across three factors, rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Convergent validity was assessed with measures of climate change anxiety, climate change worry, generalized anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Results. EFA supported a three-factor structure explaining 62% of the variance, with good sampling adequacy (Bartlett’s test p < .001). The EAQ showed excellent internal reliability (α = .95 for the total scale; α = .89–.94 for subscales). CFA confirmed the model’s adequacy (CFI = .966; TLI = .963; NFI = .95; GFI = .969; IFI = .97; SRMR = .07; RMSEA = .09). Strong correlations emerged with the Climate Change Anxiety Scale and the Climate Change Worry Scale, while moderate associations with GAD-7 and PHQ-9 confirmed the distinctiveness of eco-anxiety from general distress. Conclusions. The EAQ demonstrates strong psychometric properties and offers a multidimensional assessment of eco-anxiety. Its brevity and conceptual breadth represent key strengths. However, the study's non-representative and relatively young sample limits generalizability. Future research should validate the tool in broader populations and explore its predictive value for behavioral and psychological outcomes.