Reducing Eco-anxiety Using Selfies

Reducing Eco-anxiety and Increasing Eco-action in Adolescents Using Selfie Videos: a Randomized Controlled Trial

The purposes of this study are to test among adolescent viewers the utility of selfie (TikTok) short video-based interventions to:

1. Reduce ecological anxiety,
2. Increase ecological agency,
3. Compare two different types of messaging, and
4. Examine the role of viewer's gender and race as independent factors on the outcomes of interest.

Intervention videos will each be TikTok self-recorded videos (of 58-second duration) featuring the same underage professional (ages 16) acting as simulated participant. Video 1 ("Negative") will focus on impending ecological catastrophic outcomes; Video 2 ("Positive") will focus on the actions that youth will be able to take in preventing such outcomes; and Video 3 ("Neutral") will include content unrelated to ecological concerns.

We intend to assign ~1,000 individuals aged 14-18 in a randomized way, in equal proportions, and stratified by sex and race, to view one of the three TikTok videos: Positive, Negative, or Neutral.

Assessments will occur at baseline and post-intervention, and will include:

1. Demographics (baseline only),

2. Primary outcome:

   a. Climate Change Anxiety scale (13 items)

3. Secondary outcome:

   1. Climate Hope scale (11 items)
   2. Behavioral intentions (6 items; adapted from)29,
   3. Hopefulness and agency sliders (2 items), and
   4. Three words

Inclusion Criteria:

• English-speaking
• Living in the US
• Ages 14 - 18

Exclusion Criteria:

• None