Health, Behaviour, and Environment-Related Challenges (HeBEC Network)

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Anett Wolgast
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine ; Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 564980768

The HeBEC scientific network addresses key questions at the intersection of human behaviour indicators, mental disorders, protective factors for mental health, public health, societal resilience, and environment-related challenges. The objective is to analyse and discuss the long-term relationship between rising temperatures, other climate change-related natural hazards, mental disorders, and the mental health of adults. This includes the concepts of eco-anxiety and the acceptance of technologies for climate change adaptation. Both concepts reflect significant emotional responses to ongoing environmental changes, and their long-term psychological effects will be explored. Additionally, the role of psychological protective factors, such as social competencies or coping strategies, will be analysed using existing research data and data from social media—both on an individual level and regarding local acceptance of climate adaptation projects. Furthermore, the potential of new technological developments, including generative artificial intelligence, will be analysed and discussed to enhance the knowledge base for possible strategies to address climate change-related mental health challenges. Another focus will be on determining whether the use of such technologies by adults could mitigate the relationship between climate change and mental disorders. The network will initially collaborate on developing an integrated theoretical framework that explains the aforementioned relationships. This theoretical framework will then guide theory-driven meta- and secondary data analyses, from which implications for further research on practical interventions will be derived to support individual and public health and promote sustainable behaviour in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Dr. Andrea Chmitorz