How Problem-Solving Attitudes Link Catastrophic Thinking to Environmental Awareness Among Egyptian University Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study examined the mediating role of problem-solving attitudes in the relationship between catastrophic thinking and environmental awareness among university students using structural equation modeling. Two samples of undergraduate students from Al-Azhar University, Egypt, participated: a psychometric validation sample (N = 670) and a main study sample (N = 989). Participants completed three validated instruments assessing catastrophic thinking, problem-solving attitudes, and environmental awareness. Results revealed that catastrophic thinking was significantly negatively associated with environmental awareness both directly (β = -0.266) and indirectly through problem-solving attitudes (β = -0.172), with the indirect pathway accounting for approximately 39% of the total effect. The structural model demonstrated excellent fit to the data, and all hypothesized relationships were statistically significant. These findings suggest that catastrophic cognitions are associated with reduced environmental awareness both directly and through their negative relationship with problem-solving orientations that facilitate engagement with complex issues including environmental challenges. The study highlights the importance of addressing trait-level cognitive distortions alongside environmental content in education programs, as general catastrophic thinking patterns may impair environmental awareness even among students without climate-specific anxiety.