1

Scrolling Through the Climate Crisis: Exploring the Impact of Climate Change Related

Doomscrolling on Helplessness and Depression

N.F.A. Apprich (Frederic)

Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente

202000381: Bachelor Thesis - Positive Clinical Psychology and Technology

First Supervisor: Dr Alejandro Dominguez Rodriguez

Second Supervisor: Dr Shenja van der Graaf

27th June 2023

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Abstract
Background: Climate change (CC) and excessive news consumption, like doomscrolling, have
been linked to mental health issues such as helplessness and depression (HD). Doomscrolling
is the excessive and obsessive consumption of negative news. Perceived social support has been
deemed an important factor in both relationships. The present study integrates these findings
and investigates the impact of doomscrolling on mental health in the context of climate while
assessing the role of social support.
Methods: The study uses an exploratory sequential mixed method research design. In the first
phase, 15 people were interviewed, and their responses were analysed using thematic analysis
to develop a questionnaire as a measurement instrument for CC doomscrolling (α = .75). In the
second phase, 130 people completed an online survey containing the questionnaire from the
first phase and questionnaires for doomscrolling, resilience for HD, and perceived social
support.
Results: Participants with higher levels of doomscrolling showed lower resilience to
helplessness and depression. Furthermore, a moderation analysis revealed that CC
doomscrolling and perceived social support did not significantly moderate the effect of
doomscrolling on resilience to helplessness and depression. A post hoc analysis also did not
reveal moderation of social support on the effect of CC doomscrolling on resilience to
helplessness and depression.
Conclusion: The present research provides a measurement instrument to assess levels of
doomscrolling in the context of CC. The statistical analysis findings did not suggest a role of
social support in the relationship between doomscrolling and helplessness, and depression.
Further research is needed to improve and validate the measurement instrument and to confirm
the findings on perceived social support.
Keywords: doomscrolling, climate change, news consumption, social support, mental
health, helplessness, depression, mixed methods, exploratory study.
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Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 5
Doomscrolling and Mental Health ............................................................................................................. 6
Perceived Social Support and Doomscrolling ...................................................................................... 7
Perceived Social Support and Mental Health ....................................................................................... 7
Overview of the Present Study ..................................................................................................................... 8

Study I: Qualitative Study .......................................................................................................... 8

Methods.................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Research team and reflexivity ................................................................................ 9
Study Design ........................................................................................................ 10
Setting ................................................................................................................... 10
Data collection ...................................................................................................... 11
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................... 11
Results.................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Paralysis ................................................................................................................ 13
Individual Responsibility ..................................................................................... 14
Incidental and Actively Searched News ............................................................... 14
Scepticism towards media .................................................................................... 15
Optimism and Pessimism as Motivation .............................................................. 16
Threat .................................................................................................................... 16
Need to Stay Informed ......................................................................................... 16
Detachment ........................................................................................................... 17
Concern for others ................................................................................................ 17
Desensitization ..................................................................................................... 17
Personal Involvement ........................................................................................... 18
Privilege ................................................................................................................ 19
Resentment towards system ................................................................................. 19
Relationships Between Themes ............................................................................ 19
Construction of Questions .................................................................................... 21

Study II: Quantitative Study ..................................................................................................... 22

Methods................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Design ................................................................................................................... 22
Participants ........................................................................................................... 22
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Materials ............................................................................................................... 23
Procedure .............................................................................................................. 25
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................... 25
Results.................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Demographic Background .................................................................................... 26
Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................ 27
Inferential Statistics .............................................................................................. 27

Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 30
Implications ......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Limitations ........................................................................................................................................................... 33
Strengths ............................................................................................................................................................... 34
Future Research ................................................................................................................................................ 34

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 35

References ................................................................................................................................ 37

Appendix A Material of the Qualitative Study ....................................................................... 43

Appendix B Material of the Quantiative Study ....................................................................... 54

Appendix C R Code ................................................................................................................. 62

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Scrolling Through the Climate Crisis: Exploring the Impact of Climate Change Related

Doomscrolling on Helplessness and Depression

Climate change has been described as one of the biggest global problems of the 21st
century. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate (2022), climate-related
catastrophes increase in frequency, adversely impacting the ecosystem, people, and
infrastructure. The World Health Organization (n.d.) describes climate change as the “single
biggest threat to health.”. Both organizations urge governments to act and mitigate the impact
of climate change. Due to its threat, climate change became part of the public discourse in the
mid-to-late 1980s and has changed from the publication of scientific findings to a pervasive
topic in media (Moser, 2010).
These warnings are reflected in the emotional response of most people. In 2022, more
than 70% of respondents of a worldwide survey believed climate change would severely impact
their environment and life (Ipsos, 2022). Although climate change is seen as a threat, people
often do not engage actively in climate protection since they feel helpless (Salomon et al.,
2017). The negative emotional response towards climate change has been studied increasingly
in recent years, and specific reactions to climate change have been discovered. For instance,
“eco-anxiety”, which describes “anxiety or worry they felt about climate change and its effects”
(Clayton, 2020, p. 3) as well as “ecological grief”, “eco-guilt”, and “solastalgia” (Ágoston et
al., 2022; Albrecht et al., 2007). However, there are numerous other adverse effects of climate
change linked to mental health. The effects of climate change on mental health range from
minor stress to clinical disorders. The clinical disorders associated with climate change are
depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, and substance abuse in
response to climate change-related events (Cianconi et al., 2020).
Psychological research found several factors influencing how individuals cope with
environmental stress that triggers mental health issues. Factors associated with coping are
economic recourses, personality and knowing and being prepared for a disaster beforehand
(Bonanno et al., 2010). Besides individual approaches to coping, like emotional regulation
(Folkman & Moskowitz, 2004), the social aspect is also considered important. For instance,
Bonanno and colleagues (2010) highlight the importance of social support when coping with
environmental stressors.
Another aspect of climate change-related mental health issues is consuming negative
climate change news. Cianconi and colleagues (2020) suggest that besides the immediate
impact of extreme climate events or long-term environmental changes due to climate change
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on mental health, being exposed to climate change news causes uncertainty, stress, depression,
and feelings of powerlessness. Thus, constant exposure to climate-related news is associated
with adverse impacts on mental health and a reduction in the quality of life of individuals.
Doomscrolling and Mental Health
The question to which degree news consumption impacts individuals' psyche has
occupied researchers for decades. A meta-analysis by Rubin (1983) investigates the viewing
patterns and motivations of people watching TV and raises questions about the potential
psychological consequences for individuals. Recent studies on the impact of negative news
consumed through TV suggest a correlation between consuming negative news and declining
mental well-being (Boukes & Vliegenthart, 2017; Villi et al., 2021). Research investigating
excessive news consumption in the digital space (Diddi & LaRose, 2006) suggests evidence
that online news addiction is predicted by low interpersonal trust, future anxiety, and fear of
missing out (Shabahang et al., 2021).
Building on the idea of excessive news consumption and its negative impact on mental
health, the newly coined phenomenon of doomscrolling started to interest researchers.
Doomscrolling is the repetitive and compulsive behaviour of continually scrolling through
negative or distressing news content, including social media and online news websites (Satici
et al., 2022; Sharma et al., 2022). However, it can also be compared to 24/7 TV news coverage
(Ytre-Arne & Moe, 2021). Thus, the present study continues to investigate the long-established
ideas of excessive and habitual news consumption and its impact on the psyche while putting it
in the context of the digital age. Due to its similarities to decade old research, doomscrolling
might be therefore a new term for a long existing phenomenon in psychological research.
Reasons for doomscrolling vary. Firstly, uncertainty about situations leads to
uncomfortable and uncontrollable thoughts. These thoughts may incline a behaviour to get all
the facts about an event for self-protection, to gain feelings of control and to ease the thoughts
by constantly checking new information (Satici et al., 2022). Secondly, platforms are aware of
the behaviour of the users due to their algorithms and serve them with content to increase their
profit (Satici et al., 2022). Moreover, research has found a positive relationship between the
personality trait neuroticism and doomscrolling (Sharma et al., 2022).
Doomscrolling is associated with different adverse effects on mental health and
behaviour. Satici and colleagues (2022) suggest that doomscrolling is related to lower well-
being, life satisfaction and harmony in life. Furthermore, Ytre-Arne and Moe (2021) suggest a
link between doomscrolling and news avoidance. According to the study, news avoidance is a
response to the overload of information and emotional distress caused by doomscrolling. Thus,
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news avoidance may be a form of coping with doomscrolling. Doomscrolling can also be
understood as the opposite of complete or selective news avoidance, which has increased
recently, according to Reuters (Newman et al., 2022).
Perceived Social Support and Doomscrolling
As most recent research on doomscrolling was conducted during the COVID-19
pandemic, the research has several limitations. Ytre-Arne and Moe (2021) identify the
exceptional circumstances arising from COVID-19 measures, which disrupted regular working
hours and hindered the ability to engage in typical daily activities. Sharma and colleagues
(2022) also suggest that the research is limited due to the unique circumstances of the COVID-
19 measurements and point out, besides possible cultural differences, that doomscrolling may
be conditioned by social distancing. Both articles suggest that the results of doomscrolling may
be distorted by the unique social conditions due to the COVID-19 measurements.
Perceived social support refers to providing others with aid or comfort to assist them in
coping with physical, mental, or social stressors. Such assistance can come from any individual
within an individual’s social network, including family, friends, neighbours, religious
institutions, colleagues, caregivers, or support groups. Support can take various forms, such as
practical aid like completing tasks and offering advice, direct material support such as financial
assistance, or emotional support, which fosters feelings of being esteemed, accepted, and
empathized with (American Psychological Association, n.d.). However, perceived social
support also involves the perception of having such support available if needed (Taylor, 2011).
Isolation and the accompanying lack of social support for individuals have been linked
with a decline in mental health even before the COVID-19 pandemic (Reynolds et al., 2008).
There has also been research that suggests a link between loneliness and increased media
consumption (Canary & Spitzberg, 1993) and problematic social media consumption
(Cauberghe et al., 2021; O’Day & Heimberg, 2021).
Perceived Social Support and Mental Health
Perceived social support has been deemed an important factor when regarding mental
health. Studies investigating the well-being of children and adolescents found that high levels
of social support are associated with high levels of well-being (Chu et al., 2010). Furthermore,
Harandi and colleagues' (2017) findings suggest that social support from family and friends
increases the feeling of security, lowering anxiety. Multiple studies investigated whether there
is a moderation effect of perceived social support on the impact of stress on mental health with
contradicting results (Chao, 2012; Rodriguez et al., 2003 as cited in; Shelton et al., 2017).
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Furthermore, perceived social support is also linked to depression and learned

helplessness. Harandi and colleagues’ findings indicate a link between social support and good
communication skills, which in turn can prevent depression. These findings are confirmed by
research conducted with college students who felt little social support. They were more likely
to report mental health problems, such as depression symptoms (Hefner & Eisenberg, 2009).
Furthermore, several studies investigating learned helplessness in the context of physical illness
have found that perceived social support is a moderating factor (Cicero et al., 2009; Smallheer
& Dietrich, 2019). Thus, existing literature suggests that social support is an important factor
when investigating changes in mental health.
Overview of the Research
As presented above, previous research has linked helplessness and depression (HD) to
doomscrolling and climate change, while perceived social support has been associated as a
moderating factor in dealing with distress caused by climate change. However, previous
research on doomscrolling and its impact on mental health has been limited due to COVID-19
measurements and has not addressed climate change or examined the role of social support.
Thus, the present research aims to provide insights into how doomscrolling in the context of
climate change could affect HD and what role social support plays. While previous research
has made substantial progress in increasing the understanding of the impact of doomscrolling
and climate change news consumption on HD, research which integrates both is needed to gain
an understanding of how doomscrolling manifests in the context of climate change news
consumption and what impact it has on individuals. Furthermore, understanding the role of
perceived social support on the impact of doomscrolling is required to understand the
phenomenon of doomscrolling further. The research might offer more insights into already
existing research that showed the negative impact of climate change news consumption on HD.
Since there is no research on climate change related to doomscrolling, to the researchers'
best knowledge, there is a lack of measurement instruments for doomscrolling in the context of
climate change. Therefore, a sequential exploratory mixed methods design was used for this
study. This study design enables the researcher to develop a quantitative measurement
instrument based on qualitative research to answer the hypotheses (Creswell & Clark, 2017).
The two-phase design began with an exploratory interview study investigating the experiences
regarding climate change doomscrolling and related behaviour. The interviews are analysed
using thematic analysis due to their flexibility, usefulness in explorative research, and the
possibility of analysing in a shorter time compared to other forms of analysis. After the
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qualitative phase, quantitative data is collected through an online survey containing questions
based on the interviews and subsequent analysis.
The research aimed to answer the following research question: To what extent is
perceived social support from family, friends, and colleagues, as well as climate change
doomscrolling, related to the occurrence of doomscrolling and the adverse impact of
doomscrolling on helplessness and depression? The following hypotheses were formulated to
answer the research question.
Hypothesis 1: Increasing levels of doomscrolling are associated with decreasing levels
of resilience to helplessness and depression.
Hypothesis 2: Climate change-related negative news consumption moderates the
relationship between doomscrolling and resilience to helplessness and depression.
Hypothesis 3: Perceived social support moderates the relationship between
doomscrolling and helplessness and depression.
Study I: Qualitative Study
In this section, the first phase of the research will be discussed. The first phase consists
of an interview study and the construction of a questionnaire. The section begins with a
description of the methodology used and is followed by the results.
Methods
To provide precise and thorough reporting of the research, the qualitative phase of the
study adheres to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ)
framework for reporting developed by Tong and colleagues (2007). An overview of the
COREQ checklist and the corresponding implementations in the present paper with page
numbers can be found in Appendix A. The study was submitted with the request number 230202
to the ethics committee of the BMS and was approved.
Research team and reflexivity
Personal Characteristics The interview was conducted by the author of the present
bachelor thesis and three fellow bachelor students. Two of the interviewers were women, and
two were men between the age of 23 and 25. Three of them were German, and one Dutch. The
interviewers are all in their last semester of the B.Sc. program in psychology at the University
of Twente. The interviewers have essential interviewing experience due to their study program,
but there was no previous training for the specific interviews for the present research.
Relationship with Participants The participants were the researchers' family, friends,
and acquaintances due to the use of convivence sampling. A social media campaign was used
to find participants (see Appendix A). It was ensured that the interviewer did not know the
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interviewee before the interview to avoid bias during the interviews. The participants took part
with the knowledge that the interview is part of the bachelor thesis of the researcher and that
the thesis investigates the impact of climate change-related news consumption and
doomscrolling. The participants did not have extensive knowledge about the research, such as
the research questions.
Study Design
Theoretical Framework The data were analysed using thematic analysis following
Braun and Clarke (2006). The analysis aimed to explore the experience of climate change-
related doomscrolling, motivations for consuming climate change-related news, and potential
relationships with depression, helplessness, and social support. No predefined codes or themes
were used in the analysis since there is no theory about climate change-related doomscrolling
that can be built on. Instead, codes were created via an inductive approach while focusing on
the semantic meaning of the interview data.
Participant Selection Participants were recruited between March 18, 2023, to Mach 28,
2023 through a combination of convenience and snowball sampling by distributing
advertisement for the research (See Appendix A) on the social media platforms Facebook,
LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Initially, 18 participants were recruited, but three
dropped out. One participant stopped to respond to emails, and two other participants dropped
out because they did not find time to take part in the interview, which resulted in a final sample
of 15 participants. Participants were eligible to take part in the study if they were 18 years or
older, were living in Germany or the Netherlands, were not in treatment for a psychological
disorder, and did not experience a climate change-related crisis. Prior to the interview, all
participants signed a written consent form which the ethics committee of the University of
Twente approved.
Setting
Participants were contacted via email to find an interview appointment. A written
informed consent form was provided in the email, signed digitally by participants, and returned
to the researchers. On the day of the interview, participants were invited to a video conference
via an invitation link or called via phone. The researcher and participant attended the meeting
from home without another person attending the call. The participants were informed about the
interview procedure and reminded that participation is voluntary and that they can stop or
withdraw at any time. Subsequently, the interview and the recording started. The final sample
included 15 adults (men = 9, women = 6) between the age of 20 and 59, with a mean age of
35,6.
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Data collection
The researchers created the questions used in the interviews in collaboration based on
literature about climate change, doomscrolling depression, anxiety, helplessness, and social
support for the study. The questionnaire includes items on anxiety since another student needed
information about anxiety for their research. See Appendix A for an overview of the interview
questions and the related literature. Due to time constraints, it was not feasible to conduct a
pilot test. A pilot test could have contributed to detecting potential ambiguities in the questions.
The interviews were semi-structured, which means that every researcher asked the questions in
the same order, but sometimes questions were reworded or clarified if needed or asked follow-
up-question. Furthermore, researchers used prompts such as rephrasing the participant's replies
or vocal prompts to keep the conversation moving.
Every participant was interviewed only once with no repetition due to the limited time
of the schedule for the bachelor thesis. Audio recordings of the interviews were saved,
transcribed, and translated into English. Transcripts were not returned to participants for review.
The researchers discussed experiences and ideas to improve interviews, and the question "Do
you see a difference in generations?" was added as a possible follow-up question to question 8
(see Appendix A). Data saturation was not accounted for due to the time limits of the bachelor
thesis. The interviews lasted between 14.47 and 44.29 minutes, with an average duration of
24.5 minutes.
Data Analysis
All interview transcripts were coded by the four researchers with ATLAS.ti Mac v23.1.1
(2023). The analysis aimed to explore the experience of climate change-related doomscrolling
and its relationship with depression, helplessness, and social support of the participants. No
predefined codes or themes were used since the thematic analysis was conducted inductively.
After the coding was finished, themes were defined and reviewed collectively based on the
extracted codes of each researcher. Due to limited time, no subsequent meetings took place with
participants to discuss the findings. Subsequent meetings could have helped to ensure the
accuracy of the researcher's interpretations. While the themes were created in collaboration with
all four researchers, a coding tree (see Figure 1) was created based on each researcher's
interpretation of the themes. Finally, based on the themes, questions were developed for the
survey of the quantitative part of the study.
Results
The results consist of 13 themes of doomscrolling related to climate change news
consumption and its relation to mental health (Table 1). The themes are listed from highest to
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lowest frequency in this interview data, assigned with the primary codes used to develop the
themes. Most participants reported negative emotions or coping behaviour that are evoked due
to negative climate change-related news consumption. As Table 1 shows, the most prevalent
themes in the interviews were paralysis (106), followed by individual responsibility (92),
incidental and actively searched news (87) and media scepticism (82).
The following section describes the themes ordered according to the three broader
themes. The prevalent codes in each theme will not be discussed in detail. Primary codes for
each theme can be seen in Table 1. However, the relationship between the themes is presented
in Figure 2. The participant number refers to participants. Interview extracts that revealed the
personal information of participants were modified to ensure anonymity. The theme served as
the basis for developing questions for the quantitative part of the analysis. The results section
is concluded with further explanation for developing the 11 questions for the quantitative part
of the thesis.
Table 1
Frequency Table of Codes for each Theme
Main Theme Primary Codes n
Paralysis - Distressed 106
- Individual action does not matter.
- Powerless
- Repression
- Sad
- Worried about future
Individual responsibility - Distress 92
- Hope
- Individual climate action
Incidental and actively searched news - Active search for news 87
- Indifference
- Indirect media consumption
- Interest in topic
Media scepticism - Anger 82
- Hope
- Interest in topic
- Sensationalist Journalism
Motivation: Optimism and pessimism - Hope 80
- Interest in topic
- Worried about future
Threat - Anger 73
- Interest in topic
- Worried about future
Need to stay informed - Active search for news 69
- Interest in topic
- Social reinforced
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Detachment - Distress 66
- News avoidance
- Overwhelming
- Powerless
- Repression
Concern for others - Anger 58
- Hope
- Sympathy for CC victims
Desensitization - Indifference 51
- Omnipresence
- Repression
Personal involvement - Connection to location 38
- Connection to people affected by cc
- Socially reinforced
Privilege - Indifference 30
- Lives in a location
Resentment towards system - Anger 127
- Political failure
- Societal failure
- Worried about future
Note. Frequency for each code for each participant can be seen in Appendix A

Paralysis
One effect reported by participants that might be rooted in similar sources as the
detachment coping mechanism is paralysis. Participants stated that given the uncertainty around
climate change, they feel that they are rendered powerless, as Participant 16 explains.
Participant 16: We probably won’t have it so nice on earth for that long and then
by... well, fifty, sixty [years], things will surely go down the drain and that’s it,
so… Yes, it’s like [things] happened but... and it does, it makes you sad, but
unfortunately you as an individual won’t change anything about it.
Participant 16 explains how they believe that they expect that “things will […] go down the
drain,”—showing that the current climate change developments make them hopeless. At the
end of the quote, they point out that they do not feel that an individual can change climate
change from happening, which shows that they feel powerless. Participant 12 is more
transparent in the formulation of their helplessness.
Participant 12: I can’t really do anything about it makes me feel weird, some
kind of helplessness. Maybe also worry but knowing that I can’t really change
anything would thus make me feel helpless.
Participant 12 points out that they do not have the feeling to stop climate change by
individual actions, similar to Participant 16. They explain that they feel helpless. They
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are paralyzed in their response and cannot deal with it. They tend to be less likely to
engage with climate change news because they perceive it useless.
Individual Responsibility
Some participants who seemed to have significant concerns for climate change and are
in peer groups that share their attitudes reported being informed about climate change and
initiating individual climate-aware behaviours as an individual responsibility or obligation. For
example, Participant 17 states the following when asked about their desire to be informed about
climate change.
Participant 17: I've had some conversations about it [Climate Change], for
example, and I noticed that I don't really know what's what at that moment. So,
it's often with my sister, for example, because she's totally informed about it, or
from my mother, and I then notice that I don't know what the latest report said
right now, erm, that's mostly where it is coming from.
They state that they noticed in conversations with family members that they lack
knowledge about new developments and events regarding climate change and started searching
for news about the topic to close possible gaps in their knowledge. Also, Participant 10 reports
feeling a responsibility to know about climate change.
Participant 10: “I watched it on Netflix for an hour and a half, no, and after that
I didn’t feel so good. But I think you just have to do that in order to see for
yourself, what I can do on a small scale to change that. I probably can’t make
much of a difference on a large scale.”
Participant 10 states that they consume educational media to know what they can do to
combat climate change even though they “didn’t feel so good” afterwards. Thus, feeling the
responsibility to know about climate change could be an initiator for doomscrolling.
Incidental and Actively Searched News
Participants reported contradicting ways of news consumption and reasons. Climate
Change news is either actively searched or consumed incidentally. The example of Participant
3 shows how climate change news can be incidentally consumed.
Participant 3: “the only thing I really notice on social media [regarding climate
change news], because of those discovery pages on Instagram … sometimes
something like that is displayed and then I read something, but otherwise…”
In the example, Participant 3 states that the only way they consume climate change news
is when they sometimes appear on their social media feed, and they might read it but do not go
further in their consumer behaviour. This suggests that such behaviour is not associated with
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doomscrolling. Some participants also suspected that it would negatively affect their mental
health, which shows a negative association of climate change on mental health. The example
of Participant 12 might give an outlook on how active media consumption manifests.
Participant 12: “I want to know if it is really that bad, so I look for more articles
and different sources to see if I can confirm or reject my own thoughts and
feelings about it.”
The participant describes that they are motivated to understand the phenomenon further
after reading about climate change. They subsequently look deeper into the topic and go to
different sources. Such behaviour might be related to doomscrolling.
Scepticism Towards Media
Participants often describe news on climate change as “sensationalist media coverage”
and not giving a complete or wrong picture. This becomes clearer in the example of Participant
1.
Participant 1: Actually, I'm not sure if everything is 100% correct on the factual
level. Now, 90% of all events are somehow caused by climate change, but the
other 5% are also quickly consumed and dealt with in my understanding, and I'm
not a geologist. But they are quickly dealt with as being caused by climate
change, and perhaps not caused by our intervention in nature as humans, such as
the way we build our rivers, which has nothing to do with the Ahrtal Valley.
Participant 1 states that they are suspicious and think the media is covering climate
change events incorrectly, and they disagree with their assessments of climate change-related
events. This gives an example of people that show scepticism toward the media. Furthermore,
Participant 17 also believes that the media creates a false picture of climate change-related
events.
Participant 17: “I have the feeling that the event is of course in the foreground,
first of all. So, the flood or the earthquake, because there are a lot of human lives
involved and a lot of their own little stories and that it’s not like at first,
well, that’s the result of climate change. And then I think it depends a bit on
which, well, which sources you read through, I think.”
They criticize that not all news institutions talk clearly about the cause of climate
change-related events like floods. They point out that it depends on the source of the news.
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Optimism and Pessimism as Motivation

Participants reported contradicting motivations for their news consumption as well.
Some participants stated that their optimism for solutions to climate change was a driving factor
for continuing consuming news about the topic. As the example of Participant 8 shows.
Participant 8: “If I hear about any projects that counteract this [Climate Change]
or something like that, then I might dig a little deeper and see that I find out how,
how big the whole thing really is now.”
Another participant explains how initiatives that counteract climate change motivate
them to consume more climate-related news. However, others reported that they were
pessimistic about climate change. The same participants mentioned that the problems of climate
change are rooted in the organisation of politics and the economy, which will be discussed
further in the theme of resentment towards the system. One example is the following snippet of
the interview with Participant 12.
Participant 12: “I want to know if it is really that bad, so I look for more articles
and different sources to see if I can confirm or reject my own thoughts and
feelings about it.”
Participant 12 portrays that they have a negative view of climate change and want to see
whether they are correct in their assessment. They seem pessimistic about the topic and want to
assess whether they are correct and whether something gives a reason to be more optimistic.
Threat
Participants who perceive that the consequences of climate change pose a threat to them
now or in the future are sometimes inclined to have an increased interest in climate change news
to assess the scope of the threat, like in the example of Participant 12.
Participant 12: “I want to know if it is really that bad, so I look for more articles
and different sources to see if I can confirm or reject my own thoughts and
feelings about it.”
In the example, Participant 12 states to perceive the climate change news as something
“bad” and wants to understand the phenomenon to a greater degree. The participant is starting
to dig deeper, which may be an initiator for doomscrolling on climate change.
Need to Stay Informed
Some participants who are interested in climate change or report that their social
environment is concerned with the phenomenon state that climate change motivates them to
keep themselves informed. The participant describes a related situation.
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Participant 17: I even watched a live stream of them while [YouTube Channel
of Lützerath activists] I was studying, while I was studying for uni. Well, simply
because I was so interested, it was just a live stream and I knew I couldn’t look
it up or anything, uh, right.
Participant 17 reports how they follow a live stream of an activist group that protests the
clearing of a forest in Germany. They consume this live stream while studying for university,
which may show doomscrolling-related behaviour. They state they are motivated because they
are interested in how the events are developing and staying up to date.
Detachment
Participants reported that a form of coping with climate change-related news is
detaching from the topic and news. In the example of Participant 16, they tell how they accept
the current and try not to think about the topic.
Participant 16: “Acceptance and repression yes, well... I don't know... I accept it
because I know that I can’t do anything about it at the moment... It's just the way
it is and then I have to deal with it.”
Climate change is seen as something that cannot be changed from an individual level
and therefore is something thought about, are avoided. This means that the topic of climate
change and related news may also be actively avoided, as the example of Participant 3 shows:
Participant 3: “I stopped watching the news somehow. It's just for these reasons
that there are only negative reports.”
The example of Participant 3 shows that the topic of climate change is seen as something
burdensome that affects them negatively participants. The participants described that they
stopped consuming news to avoid those negative feelings.
Concern for Others
Some participants stated that their tendency to want to know more about climate change
increases when there is a direct impact on people. It can be understood as an empathetic
response towards those suffering from the immediate consequences of the climate crisis.
Participant 2 gives an example.
Participant 2: And then the question also arises: Does it make sense to bring
children into the world? How would you deal with the issue if you had to do
something like that now? Yes, it’s not easy. If I had to stand before the decision.
Participant 2 raises the question of whether one should get children because of climate
change. They express concern for those children that come into a world affected by climate
change but also show empathy to the people that potentially must make decisions. Another
 18

example of concern for others can be seen when the participants talked about the flooding in
Ahrtal, 2021. Some state that they were shocked by the extent of the crisis, pushing them to
read more news.
Desensitization
Another phenomenon reported by participants that is a result of climate change news
and has also affected consumption behaviour is desensitization. Climate change is described by
participants as something ubiquitous, as the example of Participant 3 shows.
Participant 3: “There are always these main issues and one of them is climate
change and then there are the current problems. I would say that climate change
is now the main issue which is always present”.
Participant 3 describes climate change as the "main issue" that is omnipresent in the
media. For example, Participant 2 states, "At the moment you can't really avoid the news." A
high frequency of news about climate change seems to have a dulling effect on participants'
interest in the topic. Due to the perceived omnipresence of climate change-related news and
personally not being affected by climate change events, the topic decreases in perceived severity
within the eyes of the participants. Participants reported that they are not interested in the topic
or are not emotionally affected by climate change news. Thus, there were less likely to consume
climate change news and doomscrolling when desensitized to the topic.
Personal Involvement
Another recurrent theme was that participants stated that their interest in climate change
news increased when they had a personal relationship with people, they know in an affected
area involved in a climate change-related event. For instance, Participant 11 described the
following situation.
Participant 11: “Would [climate change] affect me personally for any reason.
That it's happening regionally or that it's happening anywhere. We have friends
in America, for example... if, there... if I read about someone there, for example
a snowstorm or something similar, and I mean America is big, then of course I
go deeper and ask myself where is that what's happening there right now and so
forth? But there has to be a personal connection”.
The participant explains in their example that due to their friends in America, they are
inclined to read more about climate change-related events, such as snowstorms that affected
part of America. They close their statement by pointing out that it is essential to them that there
is a personal connection to the event that occurs for them to show interest.
 19

Privilege
Some participants stated they were not consuming climate change news since they were
not personally affected by its consequences. The example of Participant 4 shows that they do
not engage in climate change news consumption due to the privilege of not feeling affected by
its consequences. They do not see the necessity to inform themselves about the topic and report
to have limited knowledge about it.
Participant 4: “I don’t really care about the climate change, so I don’t check the
news and therefore there aren’t really patterns. I just don’t really care; it does not
really have an effect on me. I mean sometimes I do hear something about it, but
then I think, well this group thinks that, and the other group thinks something
different, and I don’t really waste energy on it also because I don’t really know
anything about it, so I can’t really think something of it because my knowledge
it limited. “
However, Participant 4, later in their interview, adds that they would have a different
perspective on climate change and related news if they were affected by climate change.
Participant 4: “[If] I would be a person that feels influenced by climate change
and negative media about it, I would probably feel really down by looking at the
media, or maybe depressed.”
They show awareness of their privileged position and suspect that it would have
negative consequences on their mental health if they lived in circumstances that were affected
by climate change. However, Participant 4, later in their interview, adds that they would have
a different perspective on climate change and related news if they were affected by climate
change.
Resentment Towards System
Another prominent response to negative climate change-related news is criticism and
resentment towards larger, overarching structures and individuals that determine the global or
national action against climate change but respond inadequately to the crisis. There is seemingly
no direct connection to doomscrolling. However, due to the high prevalence in the interview, it
is considered a noteworthy theme regarding climate change news consumption and will be
briefly explained. In the example, Participant 18 points out that people’s individual actions do
have a negligible effect on climate change and do not mitigate its effects on the environment,
and they feel left alone by the government. Another example by Participant 1 criticises that
there are no internationally organized actions against climate change and that the demand for
 20

profits in a capitalistic organized economy is more important than tackling climate change
issues.
Figure 1
Relationships Between the Themes

Relationships Between Themes

The themes derived from the participants' reports show relations and overlap with each
other. Those relationships are shown in Figure 1. There seems to be a relationship between
incidental and active news consumption. According to participants, there seems to be a link
between active news consumption and behaviour that could indicate doomscrolling, such as
spending more time-consuming climate change-related news. Incidental news consumption
seems not to trigger doomscrolling behaviour. Besides that, Individual Responsibility seems
also to have a regulating effect on doomscrolling. Seemingly, participants that reported feeling
responsible for engaging in climate change action also tended to be inclined to doomscrolling
behaviour.
Furthermore, Desensitization seems to be closely related to Detachment and may be
seen as a necessary step before becoming detached from climate change-related news. If
 21

someone has reached the state of Detachment, it has a negative effect on the Need to Stay
Informed and Personal Involvement.
Furthermore, although it has been linked to a decrease in climate change, privilege can
play a role in doomscrolling motivating behaviour when events seem to threaten this privilege.
On the other hand, threat can be a decreasing factor when the threat becomes something that is
too big to handle. This, in turn, can be a contributing factor to paralysis. Lastly, the concern for
others is closely related to personal involvement and may be seen as a step before. Personal
involvement has great similarities with concern for others since both themes are about negative
emotions resulting from climate change's impact on individuals. However, personal
involvement adds to the dimension of a personal relation to people affected by climate change.
Construction of Questions
All the themes were used to create questions for the quantitative part of the study except
the theme of resentment towards the system and optimism and pessimism as motivation. The
development of the questions aimed to create items that measure doomscrolling related to
climate change that can be used in quantitative research. The questions Nr. 3, Nr. 4, and Nr. 10
are reversed items. The developed questions and their related themes can be seen in Table 2.
Table 2
Self-Developed Questions about Climate Change Related Doomscrolling
Questionnaire Items Theme
1. I am actively searching for news when a climate-change Incidental and actively
related catastrophe occurs in my proximity. searched news
2. I feel the need to avoid climate change news because I feel Detachment
overwhelmed when reading them.
3. The climate change topic is too pervasive; therefore, I pay less Desensitization
attention to it.
4. Uncertainty in the media about the impact of climate change Paralysis
in the future makes me refrain from engaging with the topic.
5. My concern for other people makes me check news more Concern for others
frequently when a climate-catastrophe is presented in the
media.
6. If a climate-catastrophe would occur near me or near people Personal involvement
who are close to me, I would feel the urge to look up more
news about the event.
 22

7. Negative news about climate change makes me want to assess Scepticism towards
the truthfulness of the information. Therefore, I actively search media
for more information.
8. I feel it's my duty to keep up to date with climate change news Individual
and be knowledgeable about the topic. responsibility
9. My concern about the threat climate change poses to the Threat
environment makes me consume news more frequently about
the topic.
10. Given my location on the planet, I am less urged to consume Privilege
news about the changing climate and its consequences.
11. Consuming news about the environment urges me to stay Need to stay informed
informed and up to date with the topic of climate change.
Note. The items employ a 7-Point-Likert scale from “completely disagree” to “completely
agree”
Study II: Quantitative Study
In this section, the second phase of the research will be discussed. The second phase
consists of an online survey. The section begins with a description of the methodology used and
is followed by the results.
Methods
The quantitative phase of the study was reported following the Strengthening the
Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) initiatives recommendations
for reporting of observational studies (Vandenbroucke et al., 2007) to provide precise and
thorough reporting of the research. An overview of the STROBE checklist and the
corresponding implementations in the present study with page numbers can be found in
Appendix B.
Design
A cross-sectional design in the form of an online survey was employed to investigate
the relationship between doomscrolling and its impact on depression and helplessness while
controlling for perceived social support and climate change as possible moderators (see Figure
2).
Participants
The participants were recruited via a combination of snowball and convenience
sampling from undergraduate students at the University of Twente in the Netherlands and non-
students. Non-students were recruited through social media advertisement (Appendix B), while
 23

students were recruited through the Sona subject pool of the University of Twente. They
received 0.25 Sona points as a reward. Students from the Faculty of Behavioural, Management
and Social Sciences (BMS) at the University of Twente need 15 Sona points to be eligible for
graduation.
Figure 2
Hypothesized Model of Moderation Effects

Participants were permitted to take part in the study if they were 18 years or older, had
a good command of the English language, were not in treatment for a psychological disorder,
did not have a suicide attempt in the past two years, agreed to a consent form, and did not
experience a climate change-related crisis. The study was submitted with request number
230202 to the ethics committee of the BMS and was approved.
Materials
The online survey consisted of a welcome message and informed consent that gave an
overview of the risk and benefits of the survey and a page asking for demographical data—
followed by the eleven-question questionnaire created in the qualitative part of the thesis and
standardized questionnaires to measure doomscrolling, helplessness, and perceived social
support. The order of the standardized questionnaires was randomized to counter the potential
bias of the data due to the order effect and fatigue effect. In addition, the survey contained the
Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, used by two of the fellow bachelor
students for their analysis.
Subsequently to the questions, the participants received an anonymous personal
identifier code which can be used to request the researchers to delete their survey response if
 24

they decide so. Finally, the survey concluded with a debriefing giving more details on the
purpose of the study and links to counselling hotlines in German, Dutch, and English in case
the survey was perceived as distressing. The following instruments were used:
Climate Change Doomscrolling Scale. The Climate Change Doomscrolling scale
(CCDS) is a 7-point Likert scale used to measure the level of doomscrolling related to climate
change and is based on the interview study of the qualitative phase of the present thesis. The
scale ranges from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree". Scores are calculated by summing up
the scores of each question. The CCDS consists of 11 items, and the value for Cronbach's Alpha
for the survey was α = .75. Thus, the scale is deemed acceptable internal consistency.
Doomscrolling Scale. The Doomscrolling Scale (DSS) is a 15-item self-report
questionnaire used to measure individuals' tendencies to engage in excessive and compulsive
consumption of negative news using a 7-point Likert scale (Sharma et al., 2022). The scale
ranges from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree". Scores are calculated by summing up the
scores of each question. A high score indicates high levels of doomscrolling, and a low score
indicates low levels of doomscrolling.
A factor analysis performed on the DSS using a cross-cultural data set indicates a
unidimensional structure and a reliability coefficient (.96) is reported as excellent (Sharma et
al., 2022). A factor analysis on a Turkish sample indicates a unidimensional structure with
factor loadings ranging from 0.63 to 0.84 and excellent reliability (α ranged = .938 – 0.94) for
all 15 items (Satici et al., 2022).
Coping Competence Questionnaire. The Coping Competence Questionnaire (CCQ)
is a 21 items self-reported questionnaire used to measure individuals' resilience against HD
using a 6-point Likert scale. The CCQ will serve as measurement instrument for HD in the
present study. The scale ranges from "very characteristic of me" to "very uncharacteristic of
me" (Schroder & Ollis, 2013). Scores are calculated by summing up the scores of each question
to a total score. A high score indicates high levels of resilience against helplessness and
depression, and a low score indicates low levels of resilience against helplessness and
depression. A factor analysis performed on data consisting of a population of undergraduate
students in the US indicates one underlying factor and a Cronbach's alpha ( 𝛼 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑑 =
.90 − .94) indicating excellent reliability.
F-SozU K-6. The F-SozU K-6 is a six-item self-reported questionnaire that measures
participants perceived social support. The questionnaire employs a five-point Likert scale which
ranges from “not true at all” to “very true” (Kliem et al., 2015). Scores are calculated by
 25

summing up the scores of each question to a total score. A high score indicates high levels of
perceived social support, and a low score indicates low levels of perceived social support.
The internal consistency measured with Cronbach’s alpha (α = .90) for a German
sample is excellent, and the factor loadings (.70 - .84) indicate a meaningful measure of the
latent construct through the items (Kliem et al., 2015). Research by Lin and colleagues (2019)
validated the scale in a cross-cultural study, including student samples from the United States,
Russia, and China. The study reports good psychometric properties in all samples.
Procedure
The survey was published on the 19th of April 2023, and the data collection ended on
the 5th of May 2023. Participants were directed to the online survey hosted on Qualtrics via a
link they received through social media advertisement, or which was provided on the Sona
subject pool of the University of Twente. Subsequently, participants filled out questions
regarding demographic information and the questionnaire. Upon completing the survey,
participants were debriefed and provided with the researchers' contact information and links to
the counselling website if the survey was perceived as stressful. The survey took 14 minutes on
average to complete.
Data Analysis
The survey data was obtained via Qualtrics, downloaded as a CSV file, and analysed
using R Statistical Software v4.3.0 (R Core Team, 2023). The complete R code can be found in
Appendix C. After tidying and screening the data with the ExcludeR v0.5.0 (Stevens, 2021) and
the Tidyverse v2.0.0 (Wickham et al., 2019) R packages, the demographic background was
summarised in a table using the gtsummary R package v1.7.1 (Sjoberg et al., 2021).
Subsequently, the descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations of doomscrolling, climate
change-related doomscrolling, helplessness and perceived social support were computed and
presented in a table generated with the apaTables R package v2.0.8 (Stanley, 2021). The
Pearson correlation of doomscrolling and helplessness was used to examine whether there is a
positive relationship between doomscrolling and helplessness to answer hypothesis 1.
Afterwards, two linear models were created with helplessness as the dependent variable
and doomscrolling as the independent variable. One model had perceived social support as the
additional independent variable, while the other had climate change doomscrolling as the
additional independent variable. The rempsyc R package v0.1.1 (Thériault, 2022) was used to
generate tables for the linear models. G*Power analysis was used to ensure that the sample size
was sufficient for a moderation analysis, and the four assumptions of linearity were assessed
visually by using plots and the Durbin-Watson test.
 26

After that, a linear regression analysis was performed using the first model to examine
whether social support moderates the relationship between doomscrolling and helplessness to
answer hypothesis 2. Another linear regression analysis was performed using the second model
to answer hypothesis 3. A posthoc analysis was performed that assesses whether perceived
social support moderates the relationship between climate change-related doomscrolling and
helplessness. The significance testing threshold for linear models was p < .05.
Results
Demographic Background
Of the 210 recorded responses from volunteers who took part in the online survey, 80
(38.10%) participants were excluded from the survey in total. Two (0.95%) of the. participants
were excluded because they withdrew from the study after reading the consent form, and 78
(37.14%) participants were excluded because they did not complete the survey. Thus, the final
sample size is 130. The sample includes 40 men, 89 women, and one person who did not report
their gender. The participants are aged between 19 and 62, with a mean age of 27.6 (SD =
10.39).
Nearly half of the participants were qualified for higher education (see Table 3), while
nearly the other half held a degree in higher education (47.3%). A minority did not have a high
school degree or followed non-academic education (4.1%). Most of the participants were
German (63%), followed by Dutch participants (13%) and other European (13.4 %) or other
Western participants (4.7%), while non-western participants (5.9%) are the minority (see Table
3).
Table 3
Education Level and Nationality of Participants
Characteristic n (%)
Highest Educational Level
Highschool (qualified for university) 59 (48)
Bachelor’s degree 34 (28)
Master’s degree 20 (16)
Other 4 (3.3)
PHD 4 (3.3)
No Highschool 1 (0.8)
Prefer not to say 8
Nationality
German 82 (64)
Dutch 17 (13)
France 6 (4.7)
 27

Australia 4 (3.1)
Romania 3 (2.3)
Austria 2 (1.6)
Portugal 2 (1.6)
United Kingdom 2 (1.6)
USA 2 (1.6)
Indonesia 1 (0.8)
Japan 1 (0.8)
Malaysia 1 (0.8)
Mexico 1 (0.8)
Poland 1 (0.8)
Switzerland 1 (0.8)
Taiwan 1 (0.8)
Viet Nam 1 (0.8)
Prefer not to say 2

Descriptive Statistics
Means, standard deviations, and intercorrelations for Helplessness and Depression and
Climate Change Doomscrolling, Perceived Social Support, and Doomscrolling are provided in
Table 2. The descriptive statistics for perceived social support show a positively skewed
distribution, which indicates that the population mostly scored low levels in perceived social
support. Doomscrolling shows similar tendencies, being positively skewed as well, which
generally indicates a low level of doomscrolling. Based on the results presented in the Pearson
correlation (Table 2), the null hypothesis related to hypothesis 1 cannot be rejected at a
significance level of p < .05. The correlation shows a significant positive relationship between
doomscrolling and resilience for learned helplessness. Thus, based on the evidence, hypothesis
1 is rejected since it cannot be claimed that there is a positive relationship between
doomscrolling and learned helplessness.
Inferential Statistics
Assumption of Linearity. To investigate the hypothesized interaction model (Figure
1), a moderation analysis was used by constructing two linear models. The first model consists
of helplessness as the dependent variable, doomscrolling as the independent variable, and social
support as the moderator variable. In contrast, the second model uses Climate Change
doomscrolling as the moderator variable. Since the sample size used for the analysis is small,
the assumptions of linear models: normality, linearity, independence, and homoskedasticity for
 28

both models, are determined to check whether a linear model is an appropriate statistical
method.
Plots of the residuals are used to assess the assumptions visually. The histogram of the
residuals (see Appendix B) suggests that the models meet the assumption of normality. The plot
of the residuals (see Appendix B) shows models with randomly scattered residuals which
suggests that both models meet the assumption of linearity. Lastly, the second plot of residuals
(see Appendix B) shows some clustering. A Durbin-Watson test was performed on both models
to ensure that the assumption of independence was met. The model with social support (d =
2.16, p = .22) as moderator and the model with climate change doomscrolling (d = 2.15, p =
.34) as moderator both show no serious autocorrelation. Thus, both models do meet the
assumptions of independence and homoskedasticity. Hence, a parametric analysis is appropriate
for the constructed model, and a linear regression model is used for the moderation analysis.
Table 4
Descriptive Statistics and Correlations for Study Variables
Variable n Mean SD 1 2 3
1. CCD 130 48.3 9.9 -
2. DS 130 2.2 1 .32** -
3. HD 130 36.6 12.4 .16 .31** -
4. SS 130 1.7 .8 -.01 .11 .18*
Note. SD = Standard Deviation. * Indicates p < .05. ** indicates p < .01.; CCD = Climate
Change Doomscrolling, HD = Helplessness and Depression, DS = Doomscrolling, SS =
Social Support

G*Power Analysis. Employing the G*Power software v3.1.9.6 (Faul et al., 2009) for
sample size calculation, an a priori power analysis with a significance criterion of and power of
= .80 with two tails was performed. The minimal sample size required for a multiple linear
regression using a fixed model and a single regression coefficient with three predictors is a
sample size of N = 55 (see Appendix B). Hence, the obtained sample size of N = 130 is sufficient
to test the study's null hypotheses.
Moderation Analysis. Based on the moderation analysis, the null hypotheses related to
hypothesis 2 and hypothesis 3 cannot be rejected at a significance level of p = .05 (see Table 4
and Table 5). There is insufficient evidence to support the claim that social support or climate
change doomscrolling moderates the relationship between learned HD and doomscrolling. See
 29

Table 4 for the moderation analysis estimating the effect of social support and Table 5 for the
moderation analysis estimating the effect of climate change doomscrolling.
A post-hoc moderation analysis that tests whether social support moderates the
relationship between climate change doomscrolling and social support showed no significant
evidence that social support interacts with the relation of climate change doomscrolling on HD
(see Table 5). The test for the assumptions of linearity for the posthoc analysis can be seen in
Appendix B.

Table 5
Results of Multiple Regression Analyses

Effect Estimate SE 95% CI p

LL UL

Social Support as Moderator of Doomscrolling

(Intercept) 19.71 6.3 7.23 32.2 .00
DS 5.96 2.74 .53 11.40 .03

SS 5.21 3.43 -1.6 12.02 .13

DS × SS -1.28 1.43 -4.13 1.56 .37
Climate Change Doomscrolling as Moderator of Doomscrolling
(Intercept) 20.41 11.47 -2.29 43.12 .08
DS 6.20 5.76 -5.20 17.61 .28
CCD .17 .24 -0.30 .65 .48

DS × CCD -.05 .12 -.27 .18 .66

Social Support as moderator of Climate Change Doomscrolling
(Intercept) 20.07 12.16 -4.00 44.14 .10
CCD .24 .24 -.24 .72 .32
SS 4.31 6.80 -9.14 17.76 .53

CCD × SS -.03 .13 -.29 .24 .84

Note. Total N = 130. Degrees of Freedom = 130. CI = confidence interval; LL = lower

limit; UL = upper limit. DS = Doomscrolling, SS = Social Support, CCD = Climate Change
Doomscrolling
 30

Table 6
Hypothesis Acceptance and Rejection
Hypothesis Result
H1: Increasing levels of doomscrolling are associated with decreasing levels of
Rejected
resilience to helplessness and depression.
H2: Climate change-related negative news consumption moderates the
relationship between doomscrolling and resilience to helplessness and Rejected
depression.
H3: Perceived social support moderates the relationship between doomscrolling
Rejected
and helplessness and depression.

Discussion
The objective of the present study was to explore the impact of doomscrolling on
helplessness and depression (HD) in the context of climate change and whether social support
is a factor in the relationship between doomscrolling and helplessness. The results of the
qualitative phase helped to conceptualize climate-change related doomscrolling. The
quantitative results determined the impact of climate-change related doomscrolling on
helplessness and the role social support within the relationship between doomscrolling and
depression and helplessness.
The qualitative results indicate that most participants struggled with different kinds of
psychological distress due to the consumption of negative climate change news. Participants
who are negatively affected by climate change news reported that news about climate change
generally puts them in a negative mood, making them sad, angry, or feel powerless. These
findings align with previous studies investigating the impact of climate change news
consumption (Cianconi et al., 2020) and doomscrolling (Sharma et al., 2022) on mental health
and well-being. However, there is no known previous research on climate change
doomscrolling to which the findings could be compared.
The participants report to employ various coping mechanisms to deal with the stress.
While some participants start to avoid climate change-related news and repress thoughts about
the topic, others are motivated by the news to actively consume more news, dive into the topic,
engage in minor climate actions, or criticize media and politics. Noteworthy is that participants
report to be in a state of paralysis regarding climate change. They are worried about the future
but feel powerless. Participants stated that they feel overwhelmed and do not see individual
actions as effective in fighting climate change. Some participants report something that may be
 31

described as detachment or even desensitization to the topic. Others point out how necessary
individual actions are and see this as motivation to inform themselves about the topic. These
ambivalent reactions to the threat of climate change align with previous research on climate
change (Stollberg & Jonas, 2021). Especially the reported news avoidance is interesting when
putting the news consumption in the context of doomscrolling since news avoidance can be
seen as the response to the decrementing effect of doomscrolling on mental health (Ytre-Arne
& Moe, 2021).
The quantitative phase of the study revealed a significant relationship between climate
change doomscrolling with doomscrolling, resilience to HD with doomscrolling, and resilience
to HD with social support. However, linear regression analysis did not show a moderating effect
of climate change doomscrolling on the relationship between doomscrolling and helplessness
and depression. Furthermore, the study did not show a moderating effect of social support on
the relationship of doomscrolling with HD nor on the relationship between climate change
doomscrolling on HD. Thus, the analysis does not support the hypothesized model of
moderation (see Figure 1).
Contrary to the hypothesized relationships, the evidence suggests that doomscrolling is
not negatively correlated with hopelessness and depression. Thus, the results contradict the
claims of Sharma, et al (2022), which concludes that doomscrolling is associated with
psychological stress. Instead, the results might suggest a slight positive correlation between
doomscrolling and hopelessness. However, based on the findings of similar studies, a more
plausible explanation is that doomscrolling harms mental health and well-being (Sharma et al.,
2022; Ytre-Arne & Moe, 2021).
Opposing the hypothesized moderation of social support as a moderator for
doomscrolling, the results suggest no interaction effect. Previous studies were conducted during
COVID-19 when isolation measurements were set up by most governments. Isolation was listed
as a possible factor in the relationship between doomscrolling and its impact on mental health
and well-being (Sharma et al., 2022). Thus, the results suggest that perceived social support
does not moderate the relationship between doomscrolling and the negative impact on mental
health. This strengthens the findings of previous studies conducted during COVID-19
lockdown periods worldwide.
Countering the hypothesised moderation of climate change related doomscrolling on
doomscrolling, this study's findings suggest no significant interaction effect. The results
contradict the claims of Cianconi and colleagues (2020) that suggests that consumption of
negative news related to climate change harms mental health, as well as the claims of Sharma
 32

and colleagues (2022) that doomscrolling has negative mental health implications. The results
suggest that climate change doomscrolling has no impact on doomscrolling.
Implications
The study's findings have several implications for researchers. The analysis of the
interview data identifies several themes that occur in doomscrolling related to the context of
climate change. It showed that climate change news is seen as mainly negative and pervasive.
However, the response varies from signs of doomscrolling to news avoidance. The response is
related to different perceptions of participants regarding their self-efficacy in climate action.
Participants who feel overwhelmed and incapable of making a change tend to engage in news
avoidance, while participants who perceive that their actions matter are willing to keep up to
date with news. This dynamic might help to develop approaches to help people to develop a
more balanced way of news consumption. For instance, while it might be helpful for individuals
that feel like it is their duty to be always informed about climate change to learn the limits of
their actions, individuals that avoid news about climate change might benefit from learning to
consume climate change-related news in a way they gain a will to understand how they can
contribute to climate protection.
Furthermore, while previous research focused on doomscrolling in the context of
COVID-19, this study expands the context of climate change. It investigates possible limitations
of previous studies by including perceived social support in the analysis. The results of this
research do not align with previous research that doomscrolling and climate change have a
negative impact on mental health (Cianconi et al., 2020; Sharma et al., 2022). However, the
results suggest that perceived social support can be excluded as a possible factor in the
relationship between doomscrolling and HD since the analysis of the survey data did not show
that perceived social support interacts with the impact of doomscrolling on HD. These findings
underpin the result of previous research on doomscrolling during COVID-19 isolation and
suggest that the results of these studies were not biased due to a lack of social support.
Additionally, the present research is an example of the benefits of conducting
exploratory sequential mixed methods research in psychology. The study was able to gain first
insights into how participants experience climate change related news and to construct a
potential measurement instrument. The value of the study lies in the possibility of multiple ways
of future research by further developing the questionnaire or further looking into the qualitative
findings. Thus, the study design is efficient when attempting to understand unexplored
phenomena and should be used more often.
 33

Limitations
The generalisability of the results of both studies is limited by the research sample. The
sample for the interview study consists primarily of German and Dutch participants from the
middle class that are part or adjacent to the researchers’ social environment. Furthermore, the
analysis of the demographical characteristics of the survey participants reveals that the sample
mainly consists of individuals from Germany, the Netherlands, and other Western countries,
who have high education and are two-thirds of women. This sample fits partly the description
of what Henrich and colleagues (2010) describes as western, educated, industrialized, rich and
democratic societies (WEIRD) samples. Such samples skew research to the perspective of
western people from an affluent socio-economic background. Thus, the interview and survey
study results may not represent a broader population that includes individuals from non-western
countries, from less affluent social and economic backgrounds and not being a woman.
Another limitation is that the present study and previous studies that investigated
doomscrolling (e.g., the impact of doomscrolling on well-being in the context of COVID-19)
differ in their sample sizes. The present study has a significantly smaller sample size (N=130)
than for example the study of Satici and colleagues (2022) (N = 430). Research on the
equivalence of groups suggests that sample size is a crucial factor when comparing the results
of two groups (Rusticus & Lovato, 2019). Thus, a larger sample size is needed to compare the
results to previous research on doomscrolling.
The reliability of the data is impacted in both studies by the used measurement
instruments. The interviews were conducted by psychology bachelor students that did not have
extensive training in interviewing, while the interview was also not pilot tested. It must also be
acknowledged that three interviewers were Germans, and one was Dutch and came from a
middle-class white background which might lead to bias in the interviews. So, more
experienced interviewers and interview questions that were pilot tested may lead to other
results. Moreover, the reliability of the climate change doomscrolling scale (CCDS) is seeming
to be acceptable according to Cronbach’s alpha. However, the sample size is too small to ensure
to be considered as a good basis to assess the instrument. In addition to the previously
mentioned limitations due to the sample, the limitation due to the data collection through a self-
administered online survey must be considered as well. Furthermore, research on the use of
online surveys in research pointed out that little is known about the population that takes part
in the study even when demographics are inquired (Wright, 2005). Furthermore, it was out of
the scope of the thesis to ensure validity of the CCD regarding measuring climate change related
 34

doomscrolling. Thus, one must account for these limitations, when assessing the results of the
analysis using the CCDS.
Strengths
The present study has several strengths worth mentioning. To the best of the researchers'
knowledge, the climate change doomscrolling phenomena have not been studied yet. The mixed
methods approach made it possible to successfully develop a scale that showed acceptable
internal consistency and made it possible to collect valuable data. This lays the ground for
further research that investigates the phenomenon. Additionally, previous research on
doomscrolling often did not include qualitative research (Satici et al., 2022; Sharma et al.,
2022). Only Ytre-Arne and Moe (2021) used qualitative data in their research. Another strength
is that previous research included Turkish (Satici et al., 2022; Sharma et al., 2022) and
Norwegian (Ytre-Arne & Moe, 2021) participants, but the present study has an international
sample with primarily German and Dutch participants, introducing more diversity in the
research on doomscrolling.
Furthermore, researchers of doomscrolling have mentioned in previous studies that
social environment may be a confounding variable influencing the relationship between
doomscrolling and mental health. Previous research struggled with accounting for this factor
since it was conducted during the COVID-19 lockdowns, which isolated individuals. The
present study had a sufficiently large sample size for an analysis that gave evidence to exclude
social support as a moderating factor for the relationship between doomscrolling and the mental
health-related symptoms of depression and helplessness. Thus, the present study contributed to
a further understanding of different aspects of the phenomenon of doomscrolling, even outside
the climate change context.
Future Research
To improve the generalisability of future research, the diversity in the population should
be considered. This can be done, for instance, by recruiting people from different socio-
economic backgrounds, gender, and cultures. However, such a recruiting process requires a lot
of effort, funding for such a freshly researched subject and may be a limited solution to the
issue. Another approach could be to investigate different experiences of climate change
doomscrolling by employing quantitative intersectional analysis (Bauer et al., 2021), qualitative
intersectional research (Christensen & Jensen, 2012) approaches. It could also be incorporated
in a mixed methods approach which takes intersectionality of participants into account, which
are the inequities between individuals as differences in social locations, power relations and
experiences (Hankivsky, 2014).
 35

Furthermore, grounded theory instead of thematic analysis in future research may be

used to improve qualitative methodology since grounded theory is a form of analysis that
specifically aims to generate new concepts in regard to a topic (Corbin & Strauss, 1990).
Grounded theory may yield a more detailed picture of how individuals experience climate
change doomscrolling. Furthermore, to get a better idea about the mental health implications
future research could employ pre-existing theories to code for symptoms of negative mental
health.
The present study took the first steps to develop a quantitative measurement instrument
with acceptable reliability. However, the present study sample is, in addition to the previously
mentioned issues, too small to determine a reliable Cronbach’s Alpha. Furthermore, the present
study did not test the validity of questionnaire items. So, it can be questioned whether the CCDS
is measuring climate change doomscrolling and no other confounding variables. Thus, to further
improve the ability to quantify climate change doomscrolling behaviour future research should
work on establishing a reliable and valid measurement instrument by testing the reliability of
the CCDS on a larger sample size as well as validating whether the scale is measuring climate
change doomscrolling by conducting factor analysis.
Conclusion
To the best knowledge of the researcher, the present study is the first attempt to
investigate doomscrolling in the context of climate change and develop a measurement
instrument for the phenomenon. In addition, it also tries to close the gap on how social support
moderates the effect of doomscrolling on psychological distress.
To answer the research question, an exploratory mixed methods approach was used.
Firstly, an interview study explored how participants experience doomscrolling in relation to
climate change news. The transcripts of the 15 participants were analysed using thematic
analysis to generate themes. Afterwards, the themes were used to develop a questionnaire to
measure climate change doomscrolling, with a Cronbach Alpha of α = .75.
Secondly, a cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey. The
participants (n=130) completed the survey containing the climate change doomscrolling
questionnaire, developed in the first part of the study, and standardised questionnaires to
measure doomscrolling, resilience towards depression and helplessness, and perceived social
support. Subsequently, it was investigated whether there is a positive correlation between
doomscrolling and resilience towards depression and helplessness and whether the relationship
is moderated by climate change doomscrolling and perceived social support. There is a weak
negative relationship between doomscrolling and depression and helplessness which does not
 36

align with the hypothesis. Contrary to the remaining hypotheses, the findings suggest no
moderation of social support and climate change doomscrolling in the relationship between
doomscrolling and mental health. A post hoc analysis investigating whether there is a
moderation in the effect of climate change doomscrolling on perceived social support revealed
that there is also no evident moderation.
This research lays the first basis for further research on climate change doomscrolling.
It provides the first insight into how doomscrolling is experienced in the context of climate
change. Furthermore, it provides the first measurement instrument for quantitative research
about climate change doomscrolling. However, the generalisability of the present study's
findings is limited due to the small and biased sample. Thus, future research on the moderation
effect of social support on the impact of doomscrolling is needed to confirm the present study's
findings. Furthermore, future research is also needed to improve the reliability and validity of
the climate change doomscrolling measurement instrument.
 37

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 43

Appendix A
Material of the Qualitative Study
Table 1
COREQ Criteria and Corresponding Pages
Criterion Description Page
Interviewer/facilitator Which author/s conducted the interview or focus 8
group?
Credentials What were the researcher’s credentials? 8
Occupation What was their occupation at the time of the study? 8
Gender What experience or training did the researcher have? 8
Experience and training What experience or training did the researcher have? 8
Relationship established Was a relationship established prior to study 8
commencement?
Participant knowledge of the What did the participants know about the researcher? 8
interviewer
Interviewer characteristics What characteristics were reported about the 8
interviewer/facilitator?
Methodological orientation What methodological orientation was stated to 8
and theory underpin the study?
Sampling How were participants selected? 9
Method of approach How were participants approached? 9
Sample size How many participants were in the study? 9
Non-participation How many people refused to participate or dropped 9
out? Reasons?
Setting of data collection Where was the data collected? 9
Presence of non-participants Was anyone else present besides the participants and 9
researchers?
Description of sample What are the important characteristics of the sample?
Interview guide Were questions, prompts, guides provided by the 9
authors? Was it pilot tested?
Repeat interviews Were repeat interviews carried out? If yes, how 9
many?
Audio/visual recording Did the research use audio or visual recording to 10
collect the data?
 44

Field notes Were field notes made during and/or after the 10
interview or focus group?
Duration What was the duration of the interviews or focus 10
group?
Data saturation Was data saturation discussed? 10
Transcripts returned Were transcripts returned to participants for comment 10
and/or correction?
Number of data coders How many data coders coded the data? 10
Description of the coding tree Did authors provide a description of the coding tree? 19
Derivation of themes Were themes identified in advance or derived from 10
the data?
Software What software, if applicable, was used to manage the 10
data?
Participant checking Did participants provide feedback on the findings? 10
Quotations presented Were participant quotations presented to illustrate the 12-
themes / findings? Was each quotation identified? 18
Data and findings consistent Was there consistency between the data presented and -
the findings?
Clarity of major themes Were major themes clearly presented in the findings? 12-
18
Clarity of minor themes Is there a description of diverse cases or discussion of 11
minor themes?

Consent Form for the Interviews

Background
The study you are about to participate in is exploring the relatively new phenomenon of doomscrolling
or doomsurfing. These terms describe a behaviour in which a person engages in constantly seeking out
negative news about a certain topic on social media or in other (online) news media. The specific
phenomenon that is examined in this study is doomscrolling related to negative climate change news.
The research team will also investigate the consequences of doomscrolling on mental health.

The aim of this study is to gain clearer insights into the new phenomenon of doomscrolling about
climate change. As this study is part of a Bachelor thesis, you will receive the link to the thesis when it
is published and will be informed about the results.

In the following interview, a Bachelor psychology student will ask you questions about your news
consumption behaviour and your thoughts about climate change. The interview will take about 30
minutes. The interview will be audio-recorded. The recordings will be safely stored in the University of
Twente Cloud service. The audio recordings will be transcribed into written texts. All identifying data
 45

will be anonymized. The recordings cannot be traced back to you. The audio recordings will be deleted
at latest 6 months after the recording. The transcriptions will be deleted after 2 years. Please keep in
mind, that this thesis might get published in a scientific journal after its completion.

If you feel uncomfortable, answering some of the questions, you do not need to answer them. If you
want to quit being part of the study, you can state that at any point and the interview will be stopped.
You do not need to give a reason for quitting your participation.

If you have remaining questions, please contact one of the researchers; Frederic Apprich
([email protected]), Luzie Grossekemper
([email protected]), Moritz Hau ([email protected]), Lisanne te
Pas ([email protected]), or one of their supervisors, Dr.Alejandro Dominguez
Rodriguez ([email protected]), Dr.Shenja van der Graaf
([email protected]), Dr.Alex van der Zeeuw ([email protected]), or
Dr.Mercedes Almela Zamorano ([email protected])

Please tick the appropriate boxes Yes No

Taking part in the study

I have read and understood the study information, or it has been read to me. I have been able □ □
to ask questions about the study and my questions have been answered to my satisfaction.

I consent voluntarily to be a participant in this study and understand that I can refuse to answer □ □
questions and I can withdraw from the study at any time, without having to give a reason.
I understand that taking part in the study involves an audio-recorded interview that will be □ □
transcribed verbatim, and that the recordings will be destroyed after the reports have been
submitted.

I am currently not receiving any kind of treatment (medical or therapy) for a mental disorder.
□ I am receiving treatment
□ I am NOT receiving treatment

I have not had a suicide attempt in the last two years.

□ I have
□ I have NOT

I am not currently suffering from suicidal ideation / thoughts.

□ I am
□ I am NOT

Risks associated with participating in the study

I understand that taking part in the study involves the following risks: mental discomfort by □ □
talking about a sensitive topic such as climate change.
 46

Use of the information in the study

I understand that information I provide will be used for research reports that aim to investigate □ □
the impact of doom scrolling on the topic of climate change impacts mental health.

I understand that personal information collected about me that can identify me, such as [e.g. □ □
my name or where I live], will not be shared beyond the study team.

I agree that my information can be anonymously quoted in research outputs. □ □

Consent to be Audio/video Recorded

I agree to be audio/video recorded. Yes/no □ □

Future use and reuse of the information by others

I give permission for the answers that I provide to be archived in anonymised transcripts, audio □ □
recording so it can be used for future research and learning.

Signatures

_____________________ _____________________ ________

Name of participant [printed]

Signature Date

I have accurately read out the information sheet to the potential participant and, to the best of
my ability, ensured that the participant understands to what they are freely consenting.

________________________ __________________ ________

Researcher name [printed] Signature Date

Study contact details for further information: [Name, email address]

Contact Information for Questions about Your Rights as a Research Participant

If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or wish to obtain information,
ask questions, or discuss any concerns about this study with someone other than the
researcher(s), please contact the Secretary of the Ethics Committee/domain Humanities &
 47

Social Sciences of the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences at the University
of Twente by [email protected]

Advertisement for the Interviews

Figure 1
Social Media Advertisement Campaign

Note. This is the English version of the advertisement. It was translated in German and Dutch
for the advertisement.
Questions for the Interviews
Table 2
Interview Questions
Questionnaire Items Related
Concepts
1) What patterns of news checking have you noticed in yourself when Doomscrolling
reading something negative about climate change?
a) Do you think that this behaviour of reading climate change news
is excessive and compulsive? Can you elaborate?
b) Do you believe, people feel motivated to take action against
climate change when reading about it in the news?
 48

c) Do you see differences between generations?

2) How – in your opinion – is climate change displayed in the news Helplessness
media if there is a current climate event, (such as the flooding in
Germany)?
a) What feelings are evoked when you read climate change news
online in news media or social media?
b) Do you find yourself reading climate-related news more often if
there is a catastrophe? Can you elaborate?
3) When you think about the way you are feeling when you see negative Helplessness
news regarding climate change, what words come to your mind?

4) If such feelings occur; what do you do to counteract feelings of Helplessness

helplessness when reading news about climate change?
5) In what way do climate change news make you feel discouraged or Depression
encouraged to take action against it?
6) Can you describe what effect climate change has on your mental state Depression
of well-being?
7) When reading news about climate change, do you turn to others to Social Support
discuss what you read, or for emotional comfort and understanding?
8) Do you share your attitude towards climate change and the news Social support
about it with friends, family, and colleagues?
9) Does news consumption about climate change increase negative Anxiety
thoughts about the future (with regards to the environment)?
a) Follow-up question: Can you describe what negative thoughts
about the future arise when you watch/ read about news on
climate change?
10) Do you feel anxious (and stressed/ afraid) when thinking about Anxiety
climate change and its negative ramifications for humanity (and the
environment)?
a) Can you describe your feelings further and explain what causes
them in particular?
 49

Sources for Interview Questions

Question 1: Doomscrolling
Satici, S. A., Gocet Tekin, E., Deniz, M. E., & Satici, B. (2022). Doomscrolling Scale: Its
Association with Personality Traits, Psychological Distress, Social Media Use, and
Wellbeing. Applied Research in Quality of Life. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-022-
10110-7
Sharma, B., Lee, S. S., & Johnson, B. K. (2022). The Dark at the End of the Tunnel:
Doomscrolling on Social Media Newsfeeds. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 3(1: Spring
2022). https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000059
Question 2-4: Helplessness
Salomon, E., Preston, J. L., & Tannenbaum, M. B. (2017). Climate change helplessness and
the (de)moralization of individual energy behavior. Journal of Experimental Psychology:
Applied, 23(1), 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000105
Schroder, K. E. E., & Ollis, C. L. (2013). The Coping Competence Questionnaire: A measure
of resilience to helplessness and depression. Motivation and Emotion, 37(2), 286–302.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-012-9311-8
Gunderson, R. (2022). Powerless, Stupefied, and Repressed Actors Cannot Challenge Climate
Change: Real Helplessness as a Barrier Between Environmental Concern and Action.
Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtsb.12366
Question 5-6: Depression
Anonym. (n.d.). Concept Elicitation Interview Guide – Depressive Symptoms. In
depts.washington.edu. University of Washington.
https://depts.washington.edu/seaqol/docs/interview-guides.pdf
Norgaard, K. M. (2006). “People Want to Protect Themselves a Little Bit”: Emotions, Denial,
and Social Movement Nonparticipation. Sociological Inquiry, 76(3), 372–396.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-682x.2006.00160.x
Question 7-8: Perceived Social Support
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Social Support. In APA Dictionary of
Psychology. Retrieved 5 March 2023, from https://dictionary.apa.org/social-support
Kliem, S., Mößle, T., Rehbein, F., Hellmann, D. F., Zenger, M., & Brähler, E. (2015). A brief
form of the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (F-SozU) was developed, validated,
and standardized. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 68(5), 551–562.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.11.003
Question 9-10: Anxiety
Boluda-Verdú, I., Senent-Valero, M., Casas-Escolano, M., Matijasevich, A., & Pastor-Valero,
M. (2022). Fear for the future: Eco-anxiety and health implications, a systematic review.
Journal of Environmental Psychology, 84, 101904.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101904
Coffey, Y., Bhullar, N., Durkin, J., Islam, M. S., & Usher, K. (2021). Understanding Eco-
anxiety: A Systematic Scoping Review of Current Literature and Identified Knowledge
Gaps. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 3, 100047.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2021.100047
Grupe, D. W., & Nitschke, J. B. (2013). Uncertainty and anticipation in anxiety: an integrated
neurobiological and psychological perspective. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 14(7), 488–
501. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3524
 50

Table 3

Frequency for each Primary Code of themes

Code Participant ID Totals

6 7 2 8 3 9 11 12 10 16 17 18 1 14 15

Active search for news 0 0 2 6 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 27

Anger 0 3 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 2 0 0 1 15

Connection to location 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 2 1 3 0 1 0 0 11

Connection to people 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

Depressed 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 1 0 0 1 9

Distress 0 2 1 3 3 3 0 1 0 0 3 2 0 0 4 22

Hope 1 0 3 2 3 2 1 0 4 0 0 1 4 2 0 23
 51

Indifference 8 8 0 3 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 27

indirect media consumption 2 3 0 4 2 2 0 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 18

Individual action does not matter. 2 2 1 2 0 0 2 2 0 3 0 0 2 2 3 21

individual climate action 0 0 6 4 4 3 3 2 11 2 1 6 0 4 1 47

Interest in topic 0 0 2 0 1 0 4 1 4 7 1 1 0 1 0 22

Lives in a location not affected 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

news avoidance 5 3 0 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 16

not affected by CC news 5 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 3 0 1 0 1 1 16

Omnipresence 0 0 1 1 4 0 2 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 13

Overwhelming 0 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8

political failure 0 1 5 1 2 1 2 0 10 1 0 6 11 3 2 45
 52

Powerless 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 12

Repression 0 0 1 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 11

Sensationalist journalism 2 0 2 1 4 0 2 1 1 1 2 1 4 0 1 22

Socially reinforced interest 1 2 1 2 2 3 2 0 1 4 6 1 0 1 1 27

Societal failure 1 3 2 1 5 0 1 0 4 5 6 4 1 0 1 34

Sympathy for effected people 3 1 1 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 5 1 1 0 0 20

Too old to worry 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 1 2 1 11

Worried about future 0 2 1 3 4 3 3 3 1 3 3 2 2 1 5 36

Concern for others 4 4 9 6 4 4 1 1 4 1 8 4 5 2 1 58

Desensitization 8 8 2 8 6 3 2 2 1 2 3 0 2 1 3 51

Detachement 6 6 2 17 7 4 0 5 0 2 5 2 0 1 9 66
 53

Incidental and actively searched news 10 11 2 13 5 7 6 4 8 8 5 2 2 2 2 87

Individual Responsibility 1 2 10 9 10 8 4 3 15 2 4 9 4 6 5 92

Media Scepticism 3 3 12 3 8 2 7 3 9 8 6 5 8 3 2 82

Motivation: Optimism and pessimism 1 2 6 5 8 5 8 4 9 10 4 4 5 4 5 80

Need to stay informed 1 2 3 8 3 7 8 2 7 11 8 3 1 3 2 69

Paralysis 3 10 9 13 8 8 5 10 2 11 11 7 4 4 16 121

Personal involvement 1 2 1 2 2 3 6 0 3 5 9 1 1 1 1 38

Privilege 9 8 0 3 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 30

Resentment towards system 1 9 13 5 10 4 6 4 15 8 12 13 14 4 9 127

Threat 0 5 8 3 5 3 7 5 5 10 7 5 2 2 6 73
 54

Appendix B
Material of the Quantitative Study
Table 1
STROBE Criteria and Corresponding Pages
Criterion Description Page
Study design Present key elements of study design. 21
Setting Describe the setting, locations, and relevant dates, including 23
periods of recruitment, exposure, follow-up, and data
collection.
Participants Give the eligibility criteria, and the sources and methods of 21
selection of participants.
Variables Clearly define all outcomes, exposures, predictors, potential 23-
confounders, and effect. 24
Modifiers. Give diagnostic criteria, if applicable.
Data For each variable of interest, give sources of data and details 23-
sources/measurement of methods of assessment. Describe comparability of 24
assessment methods if there is more than one group.
Bias Describe any efforts to address potential sources of bias. 22
Study size Explain how the study size was arrived at. 24
Quantitative Explain how quantitative variables were handled in the 24
variables analyses. If applicable, describe which groupings were
chosen and why.
Statistical methods (a) Describe all statistical methods, including those used to 24
control for confounding.
(b) Describe any methods used to examine subgroups and
interactions.
- Explain how missing data were addressed.
(d) If applicable, describe analytical methods taking account
of sampling strategy.
- Describe any sensitivity analyses.
 55

Consent Form for the Online Survey

Background
The study you are about to participate in is exploring the relatively new phenomenon of doomscrolling
or doomsurfing. These terms describe a behaviour in which a person engages in constantly seeking out
negative news about a certain topic on social media or in other (online) news media. The specific
phenomenon that is examined in this study is doomscrolling related to negative climate change news.
The research team will also investigate the consequences of doomscrolling on mental health.

The aim of this study is to gain clearer insights into the new phenomenon of doomscrolling about
climate change. As this study is part of a Bachelor thesis, you will receive the link to the thesis when it
is published and will be informed about the results.

In the following, you will answer scientific surveys about your mental health and about your news
consumption behaviour. You are allowed to quit the study at any point, without giving a reason. There
will be six surveys for you to answer. These are the Doomscrolling Scale (DS), the Coping Competence
Questionnaire (CCQ), the Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), the Perceived Social Support
Questionnaire (F-SozU K-6) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A). Additionally, you will answer
question that the researchers developed themselves. All questions will be in English.

All identifying data will be anonymized. The data cannot be traced back to you. The data from the
survey will be deleted after 2 years (2025). Please keep in mind, that this thesis might get published in
a scientific journal after its completion.

If you have remaining questions, please contact one of the researchers; Frederic Apprich
([email protected]), Luzie Grossekemper ([email protected]),
Moritz Hau ([email protected]), Lisanne te Pas ([email protected]), or one of their
supervisors, Dr.Alejandro Dominguez Rodriguez ([email protected]), Dr.Shenja van
der Graaf ([email protected]), Dr.Alex van der Zeeuw ([email protected]), or
Dr.Mercedes Almela Zamorano ([email protected])

Please tick the appropriate boxes Yes No

Taking part in the study
I consent voluntarily to be a participant in this study and understand that I can refuse to answer □ □
questions and I can withdraw from the study at any time, without having to give a reason.
I understand that taking part in the study involves a survey questionnaire completed by the □ □
participant.

I am currently not receiving any kind of treatment (medical or therapy) for a mental disorder
□ I am receiving treatment
□ I am NOT receiving treatment

I have not had a suicide attempt in the last two years

□ I have
□ I have NOT

I am not currently suffering from suicidal ideation / thoughts

□ I am
 56

□ I am NOT

Risks associated with participating in the study

I understand that taking part in the study involves the following risks: mental discomfort by □ □
talking about a sensitive topic such as climate change.

Use of the information in the study

I understand that information I provide will be used for research reports that aim to investigate □ □
the impact of doom scrolling on the topic of climate change impacts mental health.
I understand that personal information collected about me that can identify me, such as [e.g. □ □
my name or where I live], will not be shared beyond the study team.

Future use and reuse of the information by others

I give permission for the answers that I provide to be archived in survey database so it can be □ □
used for future research and learning.

Have you answered all the questions above with yes, and do you consent to participate in this
study?
□ I consent to participating in this study
□ No, I do not consent

Contact Information for Questions about Your Rights as a Research Participant

If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or wish to obtain information,
ask questions, or discuss any concerns about this study with someone other than the
researcher(s), please contact the Secretary of the Ethics Committee/domain Humanities &
Social Sciences of the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences at the University
of Twente by [email protected]
 57

Advertisement for the Online Survey

Figure 1
Advertisement of Social Media Campaign

Note. On the left is the advertisement for the Sona Pool advertisement and on the right the
advertisement for the general social media advertisement.
 58

G*Power Analysis
Figure 2
G*Power Analysis
 59

Test of Assumption of Linearity

Figure 3
Histogram of Residuals for Linear Models

Note. Plot a shows the histogram for social support and Plot b shows histogram for climate
change doomscrolling.
Figure 4
Plot of the Residuals

Note. a shows the residual plot for social support and b shows residual plot for climate change
 60

Figure 5
Plot of the Residuals with Doomscrolling on Y-Axis

Note. Image a shows the residual plot for social support and image b shows residual plot for
climate change.

Posthoc Analysis: Test of Assumption of Linearity

Figure 6
Histogram of Residuals for Posthoc Linear Model
 61

Figure 7
Plot of the Residuals for Posthoc Analysis

Figure 8
Plot of the Residuals with Climate Change Doomscrolling on Y-Axis

Durbin Watson Test

A Durbin-Watson test was performed on both models to ensure that the assumption of
independence was met. The model with social support (d = 2.24, p = .17) as moderator for
climate change doomscrolling shows no serious autocorrelation. Thus, both models do meet the
assumptions of independence.
 62

Appendix C
R Code for the Statistical Analysis
Cleaning Data
1 # Load Packages----
2 pkgs <- c("tidyverse","excluder","tidylog","here") # used packages
3 lapply(pkgs, library, character.only = TRUE) # load them
4 # Load Data ----
5 Data <- read_csv(here("Data/Data.csv"))
6 # ExcludeR R Package to quickly process Qualtrics data ----
7 Data <- Data %>%
8 remove_label_rows() %>% # removes first two rows with meaningless
9 data
10 exclude_preview() %>% # exclude preview responses
11 exclude_progress(min_progress = 98) %>% # excludes responses not
12 finished
13 # responses
14 deidentify() # deletes data that could identify participant (e.g.
15 IP)
16
17 # rename variables ----
18 Data <- Data %>%
19 rename("Duration" = `Duration (in seconds)`,
20 "Informed_Consent" = `Informed Consent`,
21 "Gender" = Q1,
22 "Education_Level" = Q2,
23 "Education_Level_Other" = Q2_7_TEXT,
24 "Age" = Q3,
25 "Nationality" = Q4)
26
27 # Re-code CCD and CCQ Scales ----
28 Data <-Data %>%
29 mutate_at(c("CCD_Q3","CCD_Q4","CCD_Q10"), # CCD recode negative items
30 ~recode(., "1" = "7", "2" = "6", "3" = "5", "4" = "4", "5" = "3",
31 "6" = "2", "7" = "1"), # recode reversed items
32 c("CCQ_1", "CCQ_2", "CCQ_3","CCQ_4", "CCQ_5", "CCQ_6",
33 "CCQ_7","CCQ_8",
34 "CCQ_9", "CCQ_10", "CCQ_11","CCQ_12"), # CCQ recode negative items
35 ~recode(., "1" = "6", "2" = "5", "3" = "4", "4" = "3", "5" = "2",
36 "6" = "1") # reverse code all items
37 )
38 # safe data as numeric
39 Data <- mutate_all(Data,function(x) as.numeric(as.character(x)))
40 # calculate total scores for surveys
41 Data <- Data %>%
42 mutate(
43 CCD = rowSums(across(contains("CCD"))), # sum score
44 DS = rowMeans(across(contains("DS"))), # mean score
45 CCQ = rowSums(across(contains("CCQ"))), # sum score
46 F_SozU = rowMeans(across(contains("F-SozU"))) # mean score
47 )
48 # Re-code Demographics ----
49 Data <- Data %>%
50 mutate(across(c("Informed_Consent",
51 "Gender",
 63

52 "Education_Level",
53 "Education_Level_Other",
54 "Nationality"), as.character),
55 Informed_Consent = case_when(
56 Informed_Consent == 1 ~ "YES",
57 Informed_Consent == 2 ~ "NO"
58 ),
59 Gender = case_when(
60 Gender == 1 ~ "Man",
61 Gender == 2 ~ "Woman",
62 Gender == 3 ~ "Non-Binary",
63 Gender == 4 ~ "PNS"
64 ),
65 Education_Level = case_when(
66 Education_Level == 1 ~ "No Highschool",
67 Education_Level == 2 ~ "Highschool
68 (qualified for applied university)",
69 Education_Level == 3 ~ "Highschool
70 (qualified for university)",
71 Education_Level == 4 ~ "Bachelors Degree",
72 Education_Level == 5 ~ "Master Degree",
73 Education_Level == 6 ~ "PHD",
74 Education_Level == 7 ~ "Other",
75 ),
76 Nationality = case_when(
77 Nationality == 95 ~ "German",
78 Nationality == 180 ~ "Dutch",
79 TRUE ~ "Other"),
80 Duration = Duration/60 # seconds to minutes
81 )
82 # select relevant data for analysis
83 Data <- Data %>%
84 select("Duration","Informed_Consent":"Nationality",
85 "CCD":"F_SozU") %>% # select data for further analysis
86 filter(Informed_Consent == "YES") %>%
87 select(!"Education_Level_Other")
88 # Safe as R.data for higher performance in analysis
89 save(Data, file = here("Data/Tidy_Data.Rdata")) # save dataset as Rdata
90 file
91
92

Inferential Analysis
1 ## ----preamble, collapse=TRUE, message=FALSE--------------------------
2 # packages
3 pkgs <- c("tidyverse","flextable","modelr","scales",
4 "gtsummary","here","scales","report","broom",
5 "apaTables","rempsyc", "ggpubr","psych","car","tidylog")
6 # lapply(pkgs, install.packages, character.only = TRUE) to load packages
7 lapply(pkgs, library, character.only = TRUE) # load them
8 # load data
9 load(here("Data/Tidy_Data.Rdata"))
10 ## ---- collapse=TRUE--------------------------------------------------
11 Data %>%
12 select(Education_Level, Nationality) %>%
 64

13 tbl_summary(statistic = list(
14 all_categorical() ~ "{n} ({p}%)"),
15 label = list(Education_Level ~ "Highest Educational
16 Level"),
17 missing_text = "Prefer not to Say") %>%
18 as_gt() %>%
19 gt::gtsave(filename = "demographics.docx")
20
21 ## --------------------------------------------------------------------
22 round(psych::alpha(select(Data, CCD_Q1:CCD_Q11),
23 warnings = F)$total$std.alpha, digits = 2)
24
25 ## --------------------------------------------------------------------
26 Data %>% select(CCD:F_SozU) %>%
27 apa.cor.table(., filename="cor.table.doc")
28
29 Data %>% summary
30 ## --------------------------------------------------------------------
31
32 model_F_SozU <- Data %>%
33 lm(CCQ ~ DS*F_SozU, data = .)
34
35 model_CCD_mod <- Data %>%
36 lm(CCQ ~ DS*CCD, data = .)
37
38 model_CCD <- Data %>%
39 lm(CCQ ~ CCD*F_SozU, data = .)
40
41 # Gather summary statistics
42 F_SozU.table <- as.data.frame(report(model_F_SozU))
43 my_table <- nice_table(F_SozU.table)
44 (F_SozU.table <- tidy(model_F_SozU, conf.int = TRUE))
45 flextable::save_as_docx(my_table, path = "F_SozU_Table.docx")
46
47 CCD_mod.table <- as.data.frame(report(model_CCD_mod))
48 my_table <- nice_table(CCD_mod.table)
49 (CCD_mod.table <- tidy(model_CCD_mod, conf.int = TRUE))
50 flextable::save_as_docx(my_table, path = "CCD_mod_Table.docx")
51
52 CCD.table <- as.data.frame(report(model_CCD))
53 my_table <- nice_table(CCD.table)
54 (CCD.table <- tidy(model_CCD, conf.int = TRUE))
55 flextable::save_as_docx(my_table, path = "CCD_Table.docx")
56
57 ## --------------------------------------------------------------------
58 # histogram
59 lm_hist <- function(model){
60 Data %>%
61 add_residuals(model) %>%
62 ggplot(aes(x = resid)) +
63 geom_histogram(aes(y =..density..), binwidth=2,colour=1, fill =
64 "grey") +
65 geom_density() +
66 jtools::theme_apa()
67 }
68
69 CCD_mod_hist <- lm_hist(model_CCD_mod)
 65

70 F_SozU_hist <- lm_hist(model_F_SozU)

71
72 hist_plot <- ggarrange(F_SozU_hist, CCD_mod_hist, labels = c("a","b"))
73
74 ggsave("hist_plot.png",
75 path = here("Figures/"), width = 1920, height = 1080, units =
76 "px")
77
78 # residual plot linearity
79 resid_plot1 <- function(model){
80 Data %>%
81 add_residuals(model) %>%
82 add_predictions(model) %>%
83 ggplot(aes(x = pred, y = resid)) +
84 geom_point() +
85 jtools::theme_apa()
86 }
87
88 resid_plot1_F_SozU <- resid_plot1(model_F_SozU)
89 resid_plot1_CCD_mod <- resid_plot1(model_CCD_mod)
90
91 ggarrange(resid_plot1_F_SozU, resid_plot1_CCD_mod, labels = c("a","b"))
92
93 ggsave("resid_plot1.png",
94 path = here("Figures/"), width = 1920, height = 1080, units =
95 "px")
96
97 # residual plot independence and equal variance
98 resid_plot2 <- function(model){
99 Data %>%
100 add_residuals(model) %>%
101 ggplot(aes(x = DS, y = resid)) +
102 geom_point() +
103 jtools::theme_apa()
104 }
105
106 dwt(model_F_SozU)
107 dwt(model_CCD_mod)
108
109 resid_plot2_F_SozU <- resid_plot2(model_F_SozU)
110 resid_plot2_CCD_mod <- resid_plot2(model_CCD_mod)
111
112 ggarrange(resid_plot2_F_SozU, resid_plot2_CCD_mod, labels = c("a","b"))
113
114 ggsave("resid_plot2.png",
115 path = here("Figures/"), width = 1920, height = 1080, units =
116 "px")
117
118 # posthoc linear assumptions
119 CCD_hist <- lm_hist(model_CCD)
120 ggsave("hist_plot_posthoc.png",
121 path = here("Figures/"), width = 1920, height = 1080, units =
122 "px")
123 CCD_plot1 <- resid_plot1(model_CCD)
124 ggsave("resid_plot1_posthoc.png",
125 path = here("Figures/"), width = 1920, height = 1080, units =
126 "px")
 66

127 resid_plot2_CCD <- resid_plot2(model_CCD)

128 ggsave("resid_plot2_posthoc.png",
129 path = here("Figures/"), width = 1920, height = 1080, units =
130 "px")
131 dwt(model_CCD)