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Taking a trauma and adversity perspective to climate change mental health - PubMed

Editorial

Taking a trauma and adversity perspective to climate change mental health

Meaghan O'Donnell et al. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2024.

Abstract

The European Journal of Psychotraumatology has had a long interest in advancing the science around climate change and traumatic stress. In this special issue, we include papers that responded to a special call in this area. Six major themes emerge from these papers and together they contribute to trauma and adversity model of the mental health impacts of climate change. We argue that, in addition to individual vulnerability factors, we must consider the (i) cumulative trauma burden that is associated with exposure to ongoing climate change-related impacts; (ii) impact of both direct and indirect stressors; (iii) individual and community protective factors. These factors can then guide intervention models of recovery and ongoing resilience.

La Revista Europea de Psicotraumatología lleva mucho tiempo interesada en los avances de la ciencia en torno al cambio climático y el estrés traumático. En esta edición especial incluimos artículos que respondieron a un llamado especial en esta área. De estos artículos emergen seis temas principales y juntos contribuyen al modelo de trauma y adversidad de los impactos del cambio climático en la salud mental. Sostenemos que, además de los factores de vulnerabilidad individuales, debemos considerar: (i) la carga traumática acumulativa asociada con la exposición a los impactos continuos relacionados con el cambio climático; (ii) impacto de estresores tanto directos como indirectos; (iii) factores protectores individuales y comunitarios. Estos factores pueden luego guiar los modelos de recuperación y resiliencia continua.

Keywords: Cambio climático; Climate change; Eventos traumáticos acumulativos; cumulative traumatic events.

Plain language summary

Trauma and adversity are central to understanding the mental health impacts of climate change.We present a trauma and adversity model of the mental health impacts of climate change.

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Figure 1.
Figure 1.

Trauma and adversity model of the mental health impacts of climate change.

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