The Effect of Climate Change Workshops Based on Protection Motivation Theory on Primary School Students' Climate Change Awareness, Environmental Awareness and Eco-Friendly Behaviors: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Climate change is a global problem and one of the most important public health issues of the 21st century. The direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human health are as follows. While it poses unique and significant threats to public health and well-being through direct impacts on heat stress, flooding and the spread of infectious diseases, food and water insecurity, conflict and migration, and in relation to fossil fuels, it also adversely affects human health through indirect impacts on livelihoods, equity, community health and social support structures, which are social determinants of health.

Due to the increasing effects of climate change, many different disciplines such as physics, biology, meteorology and geology are carrying out important studies with the main aim of halting the negative trend and ensuring the survival of species. In addition to scientific studies, many institutions and organisations are raising awareness of climate change and encouraging people to take institutional and individual action. Scientific studies in the field of health focus on understanding the effects of climate change on human health and evaluating the impact of interventions that focus on individual behaviour change in the fight against climate change. These are interventions such as sending messages for environmentally friendly behaviour, online chats, nature-based education programmes, watching films and peer education.

When the effectiveness of these interventions is evaluated, it is seen that they have a positive effect in reducing the negative consequences of climate change while improving their environmental knowledge, attitudes and intentions. However, while the impact of the interventions on climate change is small while the interventions are ongoing, there is no evidence of a positive impact when the interventions end. The fact that the effects of interventions are long-lasting highlights the need for interventions that are modelled and targeted at younger age groups to achieve behaviour change. The theory of protective motivation, which is based on the assessment of the magnitude of harm caused by an event, the likelihood of the event occurring and the presence of a protective activity, is a promising theory for mitigating the impacts of climate change and achieving behaviour change.

This theory, which is educational and motivational, offers suggestions as to why people tend to engage in unhealthy practices and how these behaviours can be changed. From the literature, it is known that interventions with primary school children can lead to recycling awareness, environmental sensitivity, eco-donation and eco-action. In order for these effects to be lasting, it is also important to ensure the permanence of threat awareness and coping. For this reason, this study examines the effect of climate change workshops based on Protection Motivation Theory for primary school students on the outcomes of students' environmental awareness, climate change awareness and adoption of environmentally friendly behaviours.