Compounding Disasters and Australian Youth Mental Health: A Time of Significant (di)stress

Aim: Climate change exposure is predicted to contribute to significant mental health problems for younger people; however, little research has examined this stressor in the context of other psychosocial stressors experienced by this age group.

Method: In the immediate aftermath of Australia's severe bushfire season of 2019/2020 and at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 712 Australian youth (M_age=21.07, range 16–25 years) completed standardised clinical screening measures of psychological distress, adjustment disorder, and substance misuse. Objective exposure to extreme drought, bushfire, and bushfire smoke (air quality index) was quantified using data from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Energy. Subjective exposure was quantified by responses to questions about direct exposure to drought, bushfire, and bushfire smoke.

Results: In contrast to expectations, neither subjective nor objective exposure to climate extremes meaningfully contributed to mental health outcomes, with little variance explained. However, common psychosocial stressors did account for significant amounts of variance in psychological distress (range: 2%–6%), adjustment disorder (range: 1%–3%), and substance misuse (range: 1%–2%) symptom endorsement.

Conclusion: These results indicate—for the first time—that although extreme climate events may cause significant distress in some young people, other stressful events may have more of an impact on overall mental health.