Abstract
<p>Climate change is increasingly acknowledged as a source of emotional distress and functional impairment. To advance the identification of individuals most affected, we developed and validated cut-scores and brief screener items for the Climate Change Distress and Impairment Scale (CC-DIS). Using data from four prior studies (N = 1,699), we applied cluster and graded response analyses to derive empirical thresholds for emotional distress (cut-score ≥70) and functional impairment (cut-score ≥ 25), which we then validated in four representative samples from the US (n = 1,129), UK (n = 928), South Africa (n = 1,042), and Australia (n = 887). Across countries, 12–15% of participants scored above the distress cut-score, whereas impairment prevalence varied substantially, from 3.7% in the UK and 6.1% in Australia to 10.6% in the US and 33% in South Africa. Individuals above the distress cut-score consistently reported greater cognitive engagement, stronger social norms, more climate-related exposure, higher self-efficacy, greater pro-environmental behavior, and activism. In contrast, those above the impairment cut-score were more likely to report a mental health diagnosis and to express a strong preference for professional support across all four countries. In addition to the cut-scores, we developed two-item screeners for the distress and impairment subscales that demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance across countries (AUCs = .93–.98). These screeners provide a brief, valid, and scalable method for identifying individuals most psychologically affected by climate change. Our findings highlight the distinct profiles of high distress and high impairment and offer practical tools for the emerging field of affective climate science.</p>