Eco-Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Decision-Making Among Secondary School Students in A Developing Country Context: Evidence from Delta State, Nigeria

Eweyeju; Akporoghene

doi:10.56201/ijee.v12.no.2.2026.pg753.764

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Eco-Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Decision-Making Among Secondary School Students in A Developing Country Context: Evidence from Delta State, Nigeria

Eweyeju, Akporoghene

Abstract

The research examined the relationship between eco-anxiety and pro-environmental decision- making among secondary school students in Delta State, Nigeria. The investigation was guided by four research questions, and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 significance level. A predictive correlational research design was employed for the study. The target population consisted of 199,568 Senior Secondary II students enrolled in public secondary schools across Delta State during the 2025/2026 academic year. Through a multi-stage sampling technique, 300 students were selected as the sample for the study. Data were gathered using a researcher-developed instrument titled Eco-Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Decision-Making Questionnaire (EAPEDMQ). Specialists in Environmental Education as well as Measurement and Evaluation validated the instrument. The reliability of the questionnaire was established using the Cronbach Alpha technique, which yielded coefficients of 0.84 for eco-anxiety and 0.81 for pro- environmental decision-making. Mean and standard deviation were used to address the research questions, whereas regression analysis was applied in testing the hypotheses. The results indicated that secondary school students demonstrated high levels of eco-anxiety and pro-environmental decision-making. The findings also showed that eco-anxiety significantly influenced students’ pro- environmental decision-making in Delta State. Furthermore, the various dimensions of eco-anxiety were found to significantly predict pro-environmental decision-making, with behavioural eco- anxiety exerting the strongest predictive effect. Based on these outcomes, the study concluded that eco-anxiety plays a significant psychological role in shaping environmentally responsible decisions among secondary school students. Consequently, it was recommended that schools intensify climate change education and promote environmental sustainability programmes for students.

Keywords

Eco-anxietypro-environmental decision-makingclimate changeenvironmental sustainability.

References

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Eco-Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Decision-Making Among Secondary School Students in A Developing Country Context: Evidence from Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Keywords

References

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