Community-Based Resilience: The Influence of Social Identity, Collective Efficacy, and Positive Deviance on Climate Change-Related Mental Health

Abstract

Climate change threatens not only physical well-being but also the mental health of individuals and communities. This poster provides examples and useful tools to reduce harmful climate change-related mental health impacts. After reviewing the effects of climate change on health, the authors highlight the importance of social connection and resilience as mental health resources. The poster then describe how community-based resilience can be cultivated through social identity (i.e., perceiving oneself as belonging to social groups), collective efficacy (i.e., people's shared beliefs about their group's capability to accomplish collective tasks), and positive deviance (i.e., a behavior-change approach that amplifies successful actions of existing community members). In addition, the authors discuss the potential for local, intentional community building to serve as an effective strategy to improve resilience. Finally, the specific examples of Cool Block and the Transition Town movement (e.g., Eco Vista) model how communities can effectively support climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience strategies.

Full text

Community-Based/Resilience:/The/Influence/of/
Social/Identity,/Collective/Efficacy,/and/Positive/
Deviance/on/Climate/Change-Related/
Mental/Health
Maya/Cosentino1&/Debra/L./Safer2
1University+Hospital+of+Child+and+Adolescent+Psychiatry+and+Psychotherapy,+University+of+Bern,+Bern,+Switzerland+
2Department+of+Psychiatry+and+Behavioral+Sciences,+Stanford+University+School+of+Medicine,+Stanford,+CA,+USA
Abstract
Climate+change+threatens+not+only+physical+well-being+but+also+the+
mental+health+of+individuals+and+communities.+This+poster+provides+
examples+and+useful+tools+to+reduce+harmful+climate+change-related+
mental+health+impacts.+After+reviewing+the+effects+of+climate+change+
on+health,+the+authors+highlight+the+importance+of+social+connection+
and+resilience+as+mental+health+resources.+The+poster+then+describe+
how+community-based+resilience+can+be+cultivated+through+social+
identity+(i.e.,+perceiving+oneself+as+belonging+to+social+groups),+
collective+efficacy+(i.e.,+people’s+shared+beliefs+about+their+group’s+
capability+to+accomplish+collective+tasks),+and+positive+deviance+(i.e.,+
a+behavior-change+approach+that+amplifies+successful+actions+of+
existing+community+members).+In+addition,+the+authors+discuss+the+
potential+for+local,+intentional+community+building+to+serve+as+an+
effective+strategy+to+improve+resilience.+Finally,+the+specific+examples+
of+Cool+Block+and+the+Transition+Town+movement+(e.g.,+Eco+Vista)+
model+how+communities+can+effectively+support+climate+change+
adaptation,+mitigation,+ and+resilience+strategies.+
Albrecht+&+Goldsmith+(2003).+Social+support,+social+networks,+and+health.+In+Handbook(of(health(communication
(pp.+263–284).+Lawrence+Erlbaum+Associates+Publishers.
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Health,+4(4),+e128–e130.
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healthy+future.+The(Lancet,+398(10311),+1619–1662.
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Nature(Communications,+10.
Financial/Disclosures:/None.
Acknowledgments:/Roni Gal-Oz+is+a+co-author+of+the+chapter+on+which+this+poster+is+based.+
Department+of+Psychiatry+&+
Behavioral+Sciences,+Stanford+
University+School+of+Medicine,+
Stanford,+CA,+USA
The+ability+to+recover+from+climate-related+tragedies+will+be+
determined+by+efforts+to+foster+resilience+(Ingle+&+Mikulewicz,+
2020).+Climate+resilience+is+defined+by+the+Center+for+Energy+and+
Climate+Solutions+as+the+“ability+to+anticipate,+prepare+for,+and+
respond+to+hazardous+events,+trends,+or+disturbances+related+to+
climate.+Improving+climate+resilience+involves+assessing+how+climate+
change+will+create+new,+or+alter+current,+climate-related+risks,+and+
taking+steps+to+better+cope+with+these+risks”+(C2ES,+2015).+
Stress+resistant,+resilient+people+have+been+found+to+exhibit+a+
sense+of+group+identity+and+perceived+social+support,+thoughtful+but+
active+coping+skills,+and+a+perceived+internal+locus+of+control+(i.e.,+
sense+of+efficacy+and+determination;+Agaibi &+Wilson,+2005;+Ozer et+
al.,+2003;+Schnurr et+al.,+2005).+The+impact+of+natural+disaster-
related+stress+on+depressive+symptoms+is+mitigated+by+social+
connections+and+perceptions+of+non-familial+social+support+(Kaniasty
&+Norris,+1993).+Supportive+communication+and+social+support+are+
also+associated+with+reduced+reports+of+physical+symptoms+and+
depression+as+well+as+a+greater+sense+of+well-being+(Albrecht+&+
Goldsmith,+2003;+Flannery,+1990),+whereas+insufficient+social+
support+strongly+predicts+PTSD+and+is+associated+with+premature+
death+(Holt-Lunstad et+al.,+2010;+Ozer et+al.,+2003;+Flannery,+1990).+
Opportunities+to+connect+with+and+support+others+is+an+important+
way+to+promote+climate+resilience.+
Social'Identity'&'Cohesion:'Social+identity+theory posits+that+an+
individual’s+sense+of+belonging+to+social+groups+is+a+critical+part+of+
one’s+self-concept+(Hogg,+2020;+Turner+et+al.,+1994).+By+belonging+to+
groups+(e.g.,+family,+community),+aspects+of+a+social+environment+
are+integrated+into+one’s+self-understanding.+Group+memberships+
and+the+social+identity+that+one+develops+through+these+
memberships+are+associated+with+enhanced+health+and+well-being,+
as+well+as+resilience+against+environmental+stressors+such+as+social+
isolation+(Alcover et+al.,+2020;+Jetten et+al.,+2017).+In+line+with+this,+
community-based+interventions+that+increase+social+identity+have+
been+found+to+mitigate+the+devastating+health+effects+of+loneliness+
(McNamara+et+al.,+2021).+
Collective'Efficacy:'Higher+degrees+of+collective+efficacy+(i.e.,+
people’s+shared+beliefs+about+their+group’s+capability+to+accomplish+
collective+tasks;+Bandura,+1999)+are+associated+with+a+greater+
likelihood+to+coordinate+and+perform+behaviors+that+increase+a+
group’s+chance+of+succeeding+despite+initial+setbacks+or+other+
barriers+(Goddard+et+al.,+2004;+Thaker et+al.,+2016).+Collective+
efficacy+also+regulates+how+people+or+groups+respond+emotionally+to+
challenging+situations+(Thaker et+al.,+2016).+Finally,+collective+efficacy+
also+influences+the+decisions+people+or+groups+make+in+order+to+
control+their+future+(Bandura,+1999;+Goddard,+2004).
Positive'Deviance:'A+promising+approach+to+build+collective+
efficacy+within+communities+is+positive( deviance,+a+social+change+
strategy+that+aims+to+identify+what+is+already+working+in+a+
community+and+amplify+it+(Singhal &+Dura,+2017).+Positive+deviance+
posits+that+the+wisdom+to+solve+intractable+social+problems+often+
lies+within+the+community.+Community+outliers+who+deviate+from+
conventional+norms+model+desirable+or+positive+behaviors+despite+
the+odds.+Positive+deviance+inverts+conventional+diffusion+strategies+
by+engaging+in+an+“inside-out”+process+(Singhal &+Dura,+2017).
Collective Efficacy in Action
This+poster+provides+evidence+for+the+many+ways+in+which+climate+
change+negatively+impacts+mental+health+and for+the+role+of+building+
community-based+mental+health+resilience+in+the+face+of+these
impacts.+We+presented+Cool+Block+and+the+Transition+Town+
movement+(e.g.,+Eco+Vista)+as+examples+of+positive+deviance,+showing+
how+they+model+practices+and+behaviors+that+strengthen+social+
cohesion+and+collective+efficacy,+and+therefore,+mental+health.+Social+
ties+increase+the+likelihood+of+disaster+preparedness+by+supporting+
resource+sharing+(e.g.,+common+tools,+books;+Torres+&+Casey,+2017).+
Future'Directions include+developing+public+health+prevention+
strategies+and+designing+community+infrastructure+to+be+resilient+and+
health-promoting+(Torres+&+Casey,+2017).+For+example,+effective+
climate+communication+(e.g.,+news,+entertainment,+and+social+media)+
can+serve+to+reduce+eco-anxiety+and+channel+awareness+into+active+
engagement+in+climate+change+adaptation+and+mitigation+actions.+The+
effect+of+community+building+and+positive+deviance+stories+can+be+
amplified+through+public+communications+and+also+modeled+via+
entertainment-education+(Coren,+2022).+Real-life+examples+(e.g.,+Cool+
Block,+Eco+Vista)+can+inspire,+motivate,+engage,+and+persuade+(Singhal
et+al.,+2013).+Through+working+together+and+exhibiting+compassion+
and+solidarity,+individuals+can+meet+environmental+changes+and+
trauma+with+personal+growth,+hope,+a+sense+of+belonging,+and+
gratitude.+
Building Climate Resilience
Climate Change & Health
Conclusion
Selected References
According+to+the+Lancet Commission+on+Health+and+Climate+Change,+
climate+change+presents+an+“unacceptably+high+and+potentially+
catastrophic+risk+to+human+health”+(Watts+et+al.,+2015).+As+illustrated+
in+Fig.+1,+the+health+consequences+of+climate+change+are+manifold.+
They+range+from+the+repercussions+of+food+and+water+shortage+to+
increased+heat,+allergy,+vector-born,+and+air-pollution-related+
diseases,+as+well+as+to+the+mental+health+effects+of+extreme+weather,+
population+displacement,+and+social+conflict+(Romanello et+al.,+2021).+
A+sustainable+energy+transition+is+predicted+to+have+major+health+
benefits,+with+reductions+in+air+pollution+alone+saving+millions+of+lives+
yearly+(WHO,+2018).+ Fig./2 Example+of+Cool+Block’s+web-based+action+plan+
curriculum+(image+used+with+permission)
Department+of+Child+and+
Adolescent+Psychiatry+and+
Psychotherapy,+University+of+
Bern,+Bern,+Switzerland
Fig./1 The+health+impacts+of+climate+change+(adapted+from++++
The+Lancet+Countdown,+2017,+copyright+permission+granted)
Collective Efficacy in Action
Two/Examples/of/Positive/Deviance:/The+following+two+
organizations+serve+as+models+of+positive+deviance+in+how,+at+the+
community+level,+they+showcase+building+social+identity+and+
collective+efficacy+for+climate+resilience.+
Cool'Block'(coolblock.org)is+a+non-profit+program+established+to+
shift+behaviors+within+neighborhood+blocks+to+reflect+increased+
environmental+awareness,+with+a+focus+on+community+building,+
crisis+resilience,+and+carbon+neutrality+(Cool+Block,+n.d.).+Cool+Block+
provides+individual+blocks+with+specific+actions+to+take+to+mitigate+
their+carbon+footprints.+The+program+amplifies+change+by+leveraging+
the+behaviors+of+individuals+already+exemplifying+desired+behaviors.+
In+other+words,+the+program+utilizes+the+power+of+social+modeling+
(Bandura,+1999).+Neighbors+who+are+already+proficient+in+a+
particular+carbon-mitigation+behavior+serve+as+role+models+to+
motivate+others+on+the+block+to+follow+suit.+Behavior+modeling+is+
thus+used+to+shift+the+culture+of+the+local+community.+On+a+larger+
scale,+each+Cool+Block+acts+as+a+positive+deviant+for+surrounding+
neighborhoods.+In+this+way,+change+snowballs+from+an+individual’s+
actions+to+a+block’s+actions+to,+potentially,+civic+action+at+the+city-
wide+or+beyond+level.+Climate+resilience+grows+through+the+social+
connections+between+households+that,+in+turn,+enhance+collective+
efficacy.+Strong+community+ties+are+established+by+working+through+
the+eight-topic,+six-month+Cool+Block+web-based+curriculum+(e.g.,+
see+Fig.+2),+which+teaches+participants+to+better+adapt+to+different+
climate+emergencies+(i.e.,+flooding,+fires,+etc.).+Participants+can track+
their+climate+mitigation+ actions+and+carbon+reduction+progress.++
Transition'Towns'are+a+global+network+of+grassroots+community+
projects+in+which+citizens+join+together+to+“reimagine+and+rebuild+
our+world”+in+response+to+climate+change+(Transition+Network,+n.d.).+
The+Transition+Town+movement+was+founded+in+the+UK+in+the+mid-
2000s+and+quickly+spread+to+many+other+communities+and+countries.+
Transition+Towns+offer+psychosocial+support+by+helping+individuals+
and+communities+process+their+fears,+despair,+and+other+emotional+
responses+to+climate+change.+
Eco+Vista+(ecovistacommunity.com),+a+U.S.+student-led+Transition+
Town+initiative+in+Isla+Vista,+surrounding+the+University+of+California,+
Santa+Barbara+(UCSB),+tackles+eco-anxiety+by+giving+students+the+
opportunity+to+directly+impact+climate+change+via+the+different+Eco+
Vista+projects.+Helping+people+work+together+to+directly+impact+their+
lives+and+futures+fosters+an+increased+sense+of+social+identity+and/or+
collective+efficacy.+The+“Circular+Economy”+project+collects+donations+
of+school+supplies,+household+items,+books,+and+more+for+a+shareshop
to+“foster+a+circular+economy+within+Eco+Vista”+(Eco+Vista+Community,+
n.d.).+
Climate+change+threatens+the+psychological+health+of+individuals+and+
communities+(Cianconi et+al.,+2020;+Obradovich et+al.,+2018).+
Comprehensive+reviews+show+connections+between+high+temp-
eratures and+aggressive+behavior+(e.g.,+physical+assaults,+homicides)+
as+well+as+suicide+(Barlett et+al.,+2020;+Burke+et+al.,+2018;+Miles+&+
Anderson,+2019;+Thompson+et+al.,+2018).+Temperature+variability+and+
air+pollution+are+also+associated+with+mental+health+decline+(Xue et+
al.,+2019).+Extreme+weather+events+such+as+hurricanes,+wildfires,+and+
drought+increase+the+likelihood+of+depression,+anxiety,+post-traumatic+
stress+disorder+(PTSD),+substance+abuse,+and+suicidal+thoughts+
(Cianconi et+al.,+2020).+
Another+often+under-recognized+impact+of+climate+change+on+
psychological+well-being+involves+the+ongoing+media+coverage+of+
catastrophic+threats+posed+by+extreme+weather,+which+can+lead+to+
chronic+anxiety+and+stress+related+to+a+heightened+perception+of+risk+
as+well+as+sadness,+guilt,+and+pessimism.+These+psychological+
symptoms+are+elements+of+an+emotional+state+called+eco-anxiety
(Clayton+et+al.,+2017;+Coffey+et+al.,+2021;+Cunsolo &+Ellis,+2018).
Compounding+the+direct+impacts+of+climate+change+are+the+related+
economic+(e.g.,+job+loss,+homelessness)+and+social+costs+(e.g.,+
isolation,+reduced+opportunities+for+stress-relieving+activities).+These+
can+also+adversely+influence+mental+health,+resulting+in+a+loss+of+a+
sense+of+identity+and+place+as+well+as+feelings+of+helplessness.+
Children+are+also+particularly+vulnerable+to+the+mental+health+
fallout+of+climate+change+(Burke+et+al.,+2018).+The+likelihood+of+
Adverse+Childhood+Experiences+(ACEs)+is+increased+by+the+mental+
health+consequences+of+climate+change+in+adult+caregivers.+In+the+
face+of+persisting+traumatic+stresses,+caregivers+are+more+likely+to+
develop+PTSD,+self-medicate+with+substances,+and/or+engage+in+other+
maladaptive+behaviors+(Doppelt,+2019).+In+addition,+climate+change+
has+direct+effects+on+children’s+mental+health,+with+a+recent+global+
study+reporting+concerning+levels+of+climate+change+related+anxiety+
(Hickman+et+al.,+2021).