Living with loss: environmental grief, solastalgia, and young adults' experiences after wildfires

Abstract

As climate change accelerates the frequency and intensity of wildfires globally, impact assessments traditionally prioritize ecological and economic costs, often overlooking the profound psychosocial dimensions of environmental loss. This study addresses this gap by examining the experiences of university-educated young adults in T & uuml;rkiye following catastrophic wildfires. Utilizing Multidimensional Grief Theory (MDGT), the research operationalizes concepts such as solastalgia and disenfranchised grief through a quantitative, cross-sectional design (N = 419). Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and inferential statistics to identify patterns of distress and resilience. Findings reveal that participants experienced solastalgia-distress caused by environmental change while remaining at home-more acutely than material resource loss. The data indicate a significant presence of disenfranchised grief, where ecological mourning was perceived as socially invalidated. Notably, low levels of institutional trust signaled a perceived breach of the social contract, yet participants demonstrated active hope through strong intentions to pursue ecological restoration. The study provides empirical evidence that, for this demographic, wildfire-induced loss functions as an ambiguous loss that affects identity and security. These findings suggest that disaster recovery protocols should integrate psychosocial indicators to enhance institutional accountability and regional resilience.