Eco-anxietyNCT06937021
The Impact of an Art and Philosophy-based Intervention on Children's Eco-anxiety
A study testing Art and philosophy intervention (APBI) and Art based intervention (ABI) in people with Eco-anxiety and Psychological Distress, run by Bishop's University at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
Objective: To examine the impact of climate change on children's mental health by comparing the effectiveness of an arts only intervention (ABI) and an arts and philosophy-based intervention (APBI) on children's eco-anxiety, tolerance to distress and hope for the future in school settings. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 5 to 12 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Eco-anxiety, Psychological Distress, Tolerance to Distress
- What is being tested?
- Art and philosophy intervention (APBI) and Art based intervention (ABI)
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 3 Feb 2023to Jun 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 5 to 12 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- being an elementary school student
Who cannot join
- not being an elementary school student
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom1 site
Reach2 Academy, NorthStar Academy
Henhurst Ridge, Burton-on-Trent, DE13 9TQ
About this study
Official title: The Impact of an Art and Philosophy-based Intervention on Children's Eco-anxiety: A Pilot Study
Objective: To examine the impact of climate change on children's mental health by comparing the effectiveness of an arts only intervention (ABI) and an arts and philosophy-based intervention (APBI) on children's eco-anxiety, tolerance to distress and hope for the future in school settings. The investigators hypothesized that the children assigned to the combined arts and philosophy intervention would show reductions in self-reported eco-anxiety, as well as increases in tolerance to distress and hope for the future in the context of climate change, when compared to children assigned to the arts-only intervention.
Setting: This study is conducted in public primary schools from England. Participants: Participants are students in grades 3 to 6. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome is self-reported eco-anxiety scores. Secondary outcomes are self-reported tolerance to distress, hope for the future and mental health (depression and anxiety symptoms).
- Conditions
- Eco-anxiety, Psychological Distress, Tolerance to Distress, Hope, Mental Health
- Being tested
- Art and philosophy intervention (APBI), Art based intervention (ABI)
- Keywords
- Art-based interventions, Philosophical inquiry, eco-anxiety, children, schools, mental health
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Art and philosophy intervention (APBI)Other
8 session intervention delivered during school time. Each session involves an art activity with a corresponding philosophical discussion.
Art based intervention (ABI)Other
A 8 session intervention delivered during school time. Each session involve a creative arts activity.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Art-based intervention (ABI) | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Other: Art based intervention (ABI) |
| Arts and philosophy intervention (APBI) | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Art and philosophy intervention (APBI) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Eco-anxiety
Self-reported child eco-anxiety
Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale Minimum score: 0 Maximum score: 33 Higher scores mean worse outcomes
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (3)
Tolerance to distress
Self-reported child tolerance to distress
Distress Intolerance Index for Youth Minimum score: 0 Maximum score: 36 Higher scores mean worse outcomes
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Hope
Self-reported child hope
1 item house scale: Thinking about climate change, how hopeful would you say you are that things will get better in the future? Minimum score: 0 Maximum score: 4 Higher score means a better outcome
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Mental health
Self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms
Selected items from the anxiety and depression subscales of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-III Minimum score: 0
Maximum score anxiety: 9 Maximum score depression: 15 Higher scores mean a worse outcome
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Apr 2025
- Study start3 Feb 2023
- Primary completionJun 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Eco-anxietyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 1,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Bishop's University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise, Bishop's University
- Investigators
- Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise, PhD, Principal investigator, Bishop's University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06937021
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 102683
- Status last verified
- Apr 2025
- First submitted
- 11 Apr 2025
- Last updated
- 20 Apr 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No