Highly sensitive children and pro-environmental behaviours: the mediating role of connectedness to nature

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorGalli, Elisa
dc.contributor.authorDellagiulia, Antonio
dc.contributor.authorSperati, Alessandra
dc.contributor.authorFasolo, Mirco
dc.contributor.authorSpinelli, Maria
dc.contributor.authorSetti, Annalisa
dc.contributor.authorLionetti, Francesca
dc.date.accessioned2026-05-06T11:50:04Z
dc.date.available2026-05-06T11:50:04Z
dc.date.embargoedUntil16/04/2027
dc.date.issued16/04/2026
dc.description.abstractThis study examined the association between children’s high sensitivity (HSC) and pro-environmental behaviors (PEB), with connectedness to nature (CN) as a mediator. Consistent with the Environmental Sensitivity framework, it was hypothesized that higher levels of HSC would be associated with greater engagement in PEB through stronger emotional connectedness to nature. Mediation analyses indicated that HSC was positively associated with CN, which, in turn, significantly predicted affective, verbal, and behavioral dimensions of PEB. CN partially mediated the relationship between HSC and overall PEB, accounting for 37.3% of the total effect. Notably, CN fully mediated the association between HSC and behavioral commitment, as the direct effect was not statistically significant. These findings align with prior research in adult samples, suggesting that heightened responsiveness to environmental stimuli enhances emotional connectedness to nature and promotes sustainable behaviors. Despite limitations, including the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report measures, the findings underscore the role of CN in fostering PEB among highly sensitive children. Future research should examine additional mediating mechanisms and interventions to strengthen CN and support environmental responsibility in childhood.en
dc.description.statusPeer reviewed
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.extent20
dc.format.extent509039
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.authororcidGalli, Elisa
dc.identifier.authororcidDellagiulia, Antonio
dc.identifier.authororcidSperati, Alessandra
dc.identifier.authororcidFasolo, Mirco
dc.identifier.authororcidSpinelli, Maria
dc.identifier.authororcidSetti, Annalisa§0000-0002-9741-2559
dc.identifier.authororcidLionetti, Francesca
dc.identifier.citationGalli, E., Dellagiulia, A., Sperati, A., Fasolo, M., Spinelli, M., Setti, A. and Lionetti, F. (2026) 'Highly sensitive children and pro-environmental behaviours: the mediating role of connectedness to nature', European Journal of Developmental Psychology, pp. 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2026.2659024
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/17405629.2026.2659024
dc.identifier.endpage20
dc.identifier.issn1740-5629
dc.identifier.journaltitleEuropean Journal of Developmental Psychology
dc.identifier.startpage1
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/18726
dc.identifier.urlhttps://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105036066780
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen
dc.rights© 2026 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.en
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/en
dc.subjectChildren
dc.subjectConnectedness to nature
dc.subjectEnvironmental sensitivity
dc.subjectHigh sensitivity
dc.subjectPro-environmental behaviours
dc.subject[AppliedPsychology]
dc.subjectSocial Psychology
dc.subjectDevelopmental and Educational Psychology
dc.titleHighly sensitive children and pro-environmental behaviours: the mediating role of connectedness to natureen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
HSC_and_PEB_clean_authors.pdf
Size:
497.11 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Accepted Version
Collections
School of Applied Psychology