Bridging the Gap: A Survey of Licensed Psychologists’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Clinical Preparedness, and Training Needs Regarding Climate Change and Mental Health in Nigeria

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a significant determinant of mental health, yet the preparedness of psychologists to identify and respond to climate-related psychological distress remains insufficiently understood in Nigeria. This study examined licensed psychologists’ knowledge, attitudes, clinical experiences, preparedness, professional training, and perceived training needs regarding climate change and mental health. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to psychologists practicing in Nigeria. Forty-seven complete responses collected between January 20 and 24, 2026, were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with exploratory comparisons where appropriate. Most respondents recognized climate change as a public health threat (97.9%) and believed it could affect mental health indirectly (97.9%) and directly (93.6%). However, only 34.0% considered themselves knowledgeable about climate science, while 38.3% routinely assessed environmental or climate-related distress. Although 61.7% reported confidence in differentiating climate-related distress from other anxiety or trauma, only 29.8% considered their professional training adequate for addressing climate-related mental health concerns. Familiarity with climate-aware therapy (14.9%) and relevant clinical guidelines (12.8%) was limited. Importantly, all respondents expressed interest in additional training, and 95.7% considered addressing climate-related distress part of psychologists’ professional responsibility. The findings indicate a substantial knowledge-to-practice and training-to-preparedness gap. Integrating climate-health literacy, disaster mental health, climate-informed assessment, and culturally responsive therapeutic approaches into psychology education and continuing professional development may strengthen the Nigerian psychological workforce’s capacity to respond to climate-related mental health needs.

climate change; mental health; psychologists; clinical preparedness

1. Albrecht, G., Sartore, G.-M., Connor, L., Higginbotham, N., Freeman, S., Kelly, B., Stain, H., Tonna, A., & Pollard, G. (2007). Solastalgia: The distress caused by environmental change. Australasian Psychiatry, 15(1_suppl), S95–S98. https://doi.org/10.1080/10398560701701288 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. American Psychological Association, Task Force on Climate Change. (2022). Addressing the climate crisis: An action plan for psychologists (summary). American Psychologist, 77(7), 799–811. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001041 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Boluda-Verdú, I., Senent-Valero, M., Casas-Escolano, M., Matijasevich, A., & Pastor-Valero, M. (2022). Fear for the future: Eco-anxiety and health implications, a systematic review. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 84, Article 101904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101904 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Burrows, K., Denckla, C. A., Hahn, J., Schiff, J. E., Okuzono, S. S., Randriamady, H., Mita, C., Kubzansky, L. D., Koenen, K. C., & Lowe, S. R. (2024). A systematic review of the effects of chronic, slow-onset climate change on mental health. Nature Mental Health, 2(2), 228–243. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-023-00170-5 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Campbell-Lendrum, D., Neville, T., Schweizer, C., & Neira, M. (2023). Climate change and health: Three grand challenges. Nature Medicine, 29(7), 1631–1638. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02438-w [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Cianconi, P., Betrò, S., & Janiri, L. (2020). The impact of climate change on mental health: A systematic descriptive review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, Article 74. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00074 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Cianconi, P., Hirsch, D., Chiappini, S., Martinotti, G., & Janiri, L. (2022). Climate change, biodiversity loss and mental health: A global perspective. BJPsych International, 19(4), 83–86. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Cianconi, P., Hanife, B., Grillo, F., Betrò, S., Lesmana, C. B. J., & Janiri, L. (2023). Eco-emotions and psychoterratic syndromes: Reshaping mental health assessment under climate change. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 96(2), 211–226. https://doi.org/10.59249/EARX2427 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Clayton, S., & Brown, K. (2024). Climate change and mental health. JAMA, 331(20), 1761–1762. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.1839 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Corvalán, C., Gray, B., Villalobos Prats, E., Sena, A., Hanna, F., & Campbell-Lendrum, D. (2022). Mental health and the global climate crisis. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 31, Article e86. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796022000361 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Cosh, S. M., Ryan, R., Fallander, K., Robinson, K., Tognela, J., Tully, P. J., & Lykins, A. D. (2024). The relationship between climate change and mental health: A systematic review of the association between eco-anxiety, psychological distress, and symptoms of major affective disorders. BMC Psychiatry, 24, Article 833. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06274-1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. 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. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0092-2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Doherty, T. J., & Clayton, S. (2011). The psychological impacts of global climate change. American Psychologist, 66(4), 265–276. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023141 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Federal Ministry of Health. (2024). Nigeria climate change and health: National vulnerability and adaptation assessment report. https://www.atachcommunity.com/fileadmin/uploads/atach/Documents/Country_documents/Nigeria_Climate_and_Health_VA_assessment_report_-_FINAL.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Harper, S. L., Cunsolo, A., & Clayton, S. (2022). Including mental health as part of climate change impacts and adaptation assessment: A critical advance in IPCC AR6. PLOS Climate, 1(5), Article e0000033. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000033 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Hoppe, B. O., Prussia, L., Manning, C., Raab, K. K., & Jones-Casey, K. V. (2023). “It's hard to give hope sometimes”: Climate change, mental health, and the challenges for mental health professionals. Ecopsychology, 15(1), 13–25. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2022.0032 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2022). Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (H.-O. Pörtner et al., Eds.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009325844 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Ndifoin, B. N., Kanmounye, U. S., Kukuia, K. K. E., Endomba, F. T., Noula, A. G. M., & Jumbam, D. T. (2026). Climate change and mental health in Africa: A scoping review. Annals of Global Health, 92(1), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.5110 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Oluka, E. M., Dossen, S. B., & Ebuenyi, I. D. (2022). Flooding in Nigeria, towards prioritizing mental health and psychosocial support. Pan African Medical Journal, 43, Article 199. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2022.43.199.38251 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Pitt, C., Norris, K., & Pecl, G. (2023). A systematic review of climate emotions and mental health in adults. Global Environmental Psychology, 1, Article e11405. https://doi.org/10.5964/gep.11405 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Pitt, C., Norris, K., & Pecl, G. (2024). Informing future directions for climate anxiety interventions: A mixed-method study of professional perspectives. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 27, 209–234. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Riaz, M. M. A., Nayyer, B., Lal, A., Nawaz, F. A., & Zil-E-Ali, A. (2023). Climate change and mental health: A call to action to include mental health and psychosocial support services in the Pakistan flood crisis. BJPsych International, 20(3), 56–58. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2023.13 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Sorensen, C., Campbell, H., Depoux, A., Finkel, M., Gilden, R., Hadley, K., et al. (2023). Core competencies to prepare health professionals to respond to the climate crisis. PLOS Climate, 2(6), Article e0000230. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000230 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Stilita, G., & Charlson, F. (2024). Keeping sane in a changing climate: Assessing psychologists’ preparedness, exposure to climate-health impacts, willingness to act on climate change, and barriers to effective action. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(2), Article 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020218 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Thoma, M. V., Rohleder, N., & Rohner, S. L. (2021). Clinical ecopsychology: The mental health impacts and underlying pathways of the climate and environmental crisis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, Article 675936. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.675936 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Trost, K., Ertl, V., König, J., Rosner, R., & Comtesse, H. (2024). Climate change-related concerns in psychotherapy: Therapists’ experiences and views on addressing this topic in therapy. BMC Psychology, 12, Article 192. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01677-x [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, art. 1, May 9, 1992, S. Treaty Doc No. 102-38, 1771 U.N.T.S. 107. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Watts, N., Amann, M., Arnell, N., Ayeb-Karlsson, S., Belesova, K., Boykoff, M., et al. (2019). The 2019 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Ensuring that the health of a child born today is not defined by a changing climate. The Lancet, 394(10211), 1836–1878. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32596-6 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. World Health Organization. (2022). Mental health and climate change: Policy brief. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/354104 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Marital Adjustment and Its Relationship with Stress, Mental Health, Expectation, and Body Image
• Global and Malaysian Perspectives on Mental Health and Digital Interventions (2020–2025): A Narrative Review
• Burden of Antipsychotic-induced Parkinsonism: A Case Report
• Mental Health in Cameroon: The Challenge of Treating Trauma. Case Study of Treatment Using the EMDR Protocol
• Reliability and Validity Assessment of a Psychological Adaptation Measurement Tool for College Students