University students in the era of climate change: climate distress is associated with academic burnout and engagement through academic amotivation.

INTRODUCTION: Climate change has measurable impacts on the psycho-physical health of individuals, with disproportionate effects on current and future youth cohorts. Many young individuals experience climate distress, characterized by negative emotions and thoughts related to climate change that can impact their daily lives. Although previous studies have documented how climate change has increased concerns regarding academic careers, no research has explored how climate distress may compromise students' adjustment in terms of burnout and engagement. Furthermore, no studies have examined the motivational processes that could explain this relationship. Therefore, the present study examined, within a unified model, the relationships among climate distress, engagement, and burnout, hypothesizing that these relationships occur through academic amotivation. Specifically, it was hypothesized that climate distress would be associated with increased academic burnout and decreased engagement through academic amotivation. METHODS: A convenience sample of 375 university students, aged 18-37 years (M = 21.64, SD = 2.28), was involved, and a path analysis model was tested to verify the formulated hypotheses. RESULTS: The results confirmed the indirect association between climate distress and both engagement and academic burnout through academic amotivation. Specifically, climate distress was associated with increased academic amotivation, which in turn, was associated with lower engagement and higher burnout. DISCUSSION: The findings highlight an association between climate distress and academic maladjustment among university students, underscoring the pivotal role of academic amotivation. The results indicate the importance of addressing climate distress in academic contexts considering the negative repercussions that may affect students' wellbeing and academic career trajectories.