The Psychological Effects of Environmental Degradation on Human Well-Being
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ijhss.1886Keywords:
Psychological Effects, Environmental Degradation, Human Well-Being, Ecopsychology, Conservation Psychology, Stress And Coping Theory, Mental Health, Sustainability, Intervention, Resilience, Community Engagement, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Longitudinal Research, Environmental Conservation, Nature-Based Interventions, Evidence-Based Approaches, StakeholdersAbstract
Purpose: This study sought to investigate the psychological effects of environmental degradation on human well- being.
Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive's time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the psychological effects of environmental degradation on human well- being. Through a comprehensive review of empirical studies, it revealed the pervasive nature of environmental degradation's impact on human mental health, consistently finding associations between exposure to various environmental stressors and adverse psychological outcomes. The study emphasized the interconnectedness between environmental health and human well-being, highlighting the need for holistic approaches to sustainability that integrate mental health considerations. It underscored the importance of community engagement and participatory approaches in addressing the psychological effects of environmental degradation, advocating for community-based interventions to promote resilience and sustainable development.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Ecopsychology theory, Conservation Psychology theory and Stress and Coping theory may be used to anchor future studies on the psychological effects of environmental degradation on human well- being. The study offered valuable recommendations that contributed to theory, practice, and policy. It emphasized the need for an integrated theoretical framework that accounted for the multidimensional nature of environmental degradation and its psychological impacts. The recommendations highlighted the importance of integrating mental health considerations into environmental conservation efforts, promoting nature-based interventions, and prioritizing evidence-based policy reforms. Community engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and longitudinal research were identified as key strategies for addressing the psychological effects of environmental degradation and fostering resilience. Overall, the study provided a comprehensive roadmap for advancing understanding and addressing the complex interplay between environmental change and mental health outcomes.
Downloads
References
Agyei-Mensah, S., & de-Graft Aikins, A. (2010). Epidemiological transition and the double burden of disease in Accra, Ghana. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(5), 741-753. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph7050741
Albrecht, G., Sartore, G. M., Connor, L., Higginbotham, N., Freeman, S., Kelly, B., & Pollard, G. (2007). Solastalgia: The distress caused by environmental change. Australasian Psychiatry, 15(sup1), S95-S98.
Berry, H. L., Waite, T. D., Dear, K. B., Capon, A. G., & Murray, V. (2018). The case for systems thinking about climate change and mental health. Nature Climate Change, 8(4), 282-290.
Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., De Vries, S., Flanders, J., & Kahn Jr, P. H. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 5(7), eaax0903.
Bullard, R. D. (1994). Environmental justice for all: community perspectives on health and research needs. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 10(6), 469-478.
CBD. (2020). Global Biodiversity Outlook 5. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved from https://www.cbd.int/gbo5
Clifford, A., Lang, L., & Chen, R. (2019). Effects of air pollution on human health and practical measures for prevention in Iran. Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering, 17(2), 1551-1559.
Cunsolo, A., & Ellis, N. R. (2018). Ecological grief as a mental health response to climate change-related loss. Nature Climate Change, 8(4), 275-281.
García-Moya, F. J., Martín-Palomo, M. J., Collado-Mateo, D., & García-Coll, M. T. (2018). Psychological effects of drought on rural communities in Spain. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 57, 10-17.
Gascon, M., Vrijheid, M., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., & Martinez, D. (2017). Environmental pollutants and child health—A review of recent concerns. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 220(8), 1074-1089.
Gavin, M. C., McCarter, J., Berkes, F., Mead, A., Sterling, E. J., Tang, R., & Turner, N. J. (2015). Defining biocultural approaches to conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 30(3), 140-145.
Gibson, L., Lee, T. M., Koh, L. P., Brook, B. W., Gardner, T. A., Barlow, J., & Laurance, W. F. (2011). Primary forests are irreplaceable for sustaining tropical biodiversity. Nature, 478(7369), 378-381.
Hofmann, S. G., & Hay, A. C. (2018). Rethinking avoidance: Toward a balanced approach to avoidance in treating anxiety disorders. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 55, 14-21.
Huppert, F. A., & Johnson, D. M. (2010). A controlled trial of mindfulness training in schools: The importance of practice for an impact on well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(4), 264-274. DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2010.498640
IPCC. (2014). Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. IPCC. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr
Jones, R. E., Truelove, H. B., & Wadden, M. A. (2015). Psychological effects of deforestation on indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon. Conservation Psychology, 3(2), 101-117.
Kampa, M., & Castanas, E. (2008). Human health effects of air pollution. Environmental Pollution, 151(2), 362-367.
Kellert, S. R. (2005). Building for life: Designing and understanding the human-nature connection. Island Press.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer Publishing Company.
Lee, H., Oh, J., Lee, K., Lee, S. H., Shin, H. W., & Lee, J. S. (2017). The impact of noise pollution on mental health: Evidence from South Korea. Environmental Research Letters, 12(4), 044001.
Lima, M. L. C., do Carmo, J. F. B., Albuquerque, M. C., & Cavalcanti, M. G. P. (2018). Impact of land encroachment on the health and quality of life of indigenous populations in the Brazilian Amazon. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 57, 7-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2018.06.003
MEA. (2005). Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis. Island Press.
Morello-Frosch, R., & Jesdale, B. M. (2006). Separate and unequal: residential segregation and estimated cancer risks associated with ambient air toxics in U.S. metropolitan areas. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114(3), 386-393.
Roe, J. J., Thompson, R. C., Russell, P., Jones, D., & Laffoley, D. (2018). Coastal erosion and habitat loss: The psychological implications for coastal communities in the United Kingdom. Coastal Management, 46(3), 163-180.
Roszak, T. (1992). The voice of the earth: An exploration of ecopsychology. Phanes Press.
Smith, J. K., Doogan, N. J., Walton, A. L., & Young, W. B. (2019). Psychological impacts of water pollution on rural communities in agricultural areas of the United States. Journal of Rural Health, 35(4), 487-499.
Suzuki, Y., Yabe, H., Horikoshi, N., Yasumura, S., Kawakami, N., & Ohtsuru, A. (2015). Psychological distress and the perception of radiation risks: The Fukushima health management survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(8), 11096-11109. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120811096
UNEP. (2019). Global Environment Outlook – GEO-6: Healthy Planet, Healthy People. United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved from https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/global-environment-outlook-6
Wang, X., Lavigne, E., Ouellette-Kuntz, H., Chen, B. E., & Cockcroft, D. W. (2017). The impact of air pollution on mental health: Evidence from China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(10), 1286.
WHO. (2018). Ambient air pollution: A global assessment of exposure and burden of disease. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/airpollution/data/en/
Xue, T., Zhu, T., Chen, L., Gao, X., Zhang, Y., Zeng, X., & Kan, H. (2020). Association between air pollution and depressive symptoms in adults: A cross-sectional study from six cities in the USA. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(5), 509-517. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.0058.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Kelly Makeda
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
