Abstract
Although research on eco-anxiety in young adults is increasing, the prevalence of eco-anxiety in young adults without generalised anxiety disorder and the coping mechanisms they use are scarce. This study aimed to address this research gap in young adults in India and to gain deeper knowledge of the phenomenon. The study used nonprobability purposive sampling for recruitment. A heterogeneous sample of young adults aged 18–24 was recruited for semistructured interviews after the screening process. The participants were also asked to complete an eco-anxiety scale to validate the data further. Seven major themes were found, including information about climate change, associated emotions, coping strategies, blame attribution, barriers to pro-environmental behavior, views about the future, and personal impacts of climate change. These implications may extend to the therapeutic realm, informing the development of coping strategies for long-term well-being. These findings will also aid in developing psychometric scales for coping strategies specific to eco-anxiety and policy development and for including young adults in the decision-making process.