Environmental Concern in School-Age Children.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between children's environmental concern and grade, sex, environmental attitudes and behaviors, perceived competencies, and manifest anxiety. A total of 138 children in grades 1, 3, and 5 were interviewed and completed scales that measured childhood concerns, attitudes toward the environment, self perception, manifest anxiety, and home environmental practices. It was found that children were moderately concerned about the environment, and that firstgraders were more concerned about the environment than thirdor fifth-graders. Environmental concern was positively correlated with environmental attitudes and behaviors for the fifth-graders. Multiple regression analysis revealed that children's environmental attitudes were a significant component of environmental concern, with more pro-environmental attitudes associated with greater environmental concern. Manifest anxiety was also found to be a component of environmental concern, with less anxiety being associated with greater concern. Children with greater environmental concern were somewhat more worried about environmental problems, and were able to generate more ways that they and their parents could help save the environment. (MDM) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** Environmental Concern in Children