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From Nature to Nurture: How Does Environmental Education Link with Adolescent Problem Behaviors through Nature Connectedness and Self-Control

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Title: From Nature to Nurture: How Does Environmental Education Link with Adolescent Problem Behaviors through Nature Connectedness and Self-Control
Language: English
Authors: Weilin Xu (ORCID 0009-0009-1151-9055), Cancan Jin (ORCID 0000-0001-5991-8156)
Source: Youth & Society. 2026 58(5):784-808.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 25
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Descriptors: Secondary School Students, Environmental Education, Student Behavior, Behavior Problems, Self Management, Outdoor Education, Physical Environment, Environmental Influences, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: China
DOI: 10.1177/0044118X251392252
ISSN: 0044-118X
1552-8499
Abstract: This study recruited 2,361 secondary students (M(age) = 15.08) to examine links between environmental education and adolescent problem behaviors, focusing on nature connectedness as a mediator and self-control as a moderator. Results showed environmental education was negatively correlated with problem behaviors (rs = -0.25, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-0.29, -0.22]); nature connectedness mediated this link (ab = -0.04, 95% CI [-0.06, -0.03]); and self-control moderated the nature connectedness-problem behaviors association (β = 0.05, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.01, 0.08]), weakening the negative relation at higher self-control. These findings highlight environmental education's potential protective role in reducing adolescent problem behaviors and the importance of fostering nature connectedness while considering self-control differences in interventions.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1509091
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Data: From Nature to Nurture: How Does Environmental Education Link with Adolescent Problem Behaviors through Nature Connectedness and Self-Control
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Weilin+Xu%22&quot;&gt;Weilin Xu&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1151-9055&quot;&gt;0009-0009-1151-9055&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Cancan+Jin%22&quot;&gt;Cancan Jin&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5991-8156&quot;&gt;0000-0001-5991-8156&lt;/externalLink&gt;)
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;SO&quot; term=&quot;%22Youth+%26+Society%22&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Youth &amp; Society&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/searchLink&gt;. 2026 58(5):784-808.
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  Label: Availability
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 25
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
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  Data: Journal Articles&lt;br /&gt;Reports - Research
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;EL&quot; term=&quot;%22Secondary+Education%22&quot;&gt;Secondary Education&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;EL&quot; term=&quot;%22Junior+High+Schools%22&quot;&gt;Junior High Schools&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;EL&quot; term=&quot;%22Middle+Schools%22&quot;&gt;Middle Schools&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Secondary+School+Students%22&quot;&gt;Secondary School Students&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Environmental+Education%22&quot;&gt;Environmental Education&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Student+Behavior%22&quot;&gt;Student Behavior&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Behavior+Problems%22&quot;&gt;Behavior Problems&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Self+Management%22&quot;&gt;Self Management&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Outdoor+Education%22&quot;&gt;Outdoor Education&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Physical+Environment%22&quot;&gt;Physical Environment&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Environmental+Influences%22&quot;&gt;Environmental Influences&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Foreign+Countries%22&quot;&gt;Foreign Countries&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22China%22&quot;&gt;China&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/0044118X251392252
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0044-118X&lt;br /&gt;1552-8499
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study recruited 2,361 secondary students (M(age) = 15.08) to examine links between environmental education and adolescent problem behaviors, focusing on nature connectedness as a mediator and self-control as a moderator. Results showed environmental education was negatively correlated with problem behaviors (rs = -0.25, p &lt; 0.001, 95% CI [-0.29, -0.22]); nature connectedness mediated this link (ab = -0.04, 95% CI [-0.06, -0.03]); and self-control moderated the nature connectedness-problem behaviors association (β = 0.05, p &lt; 0.01, 95% CI [0.01, 0.08]), weakening the negative relation at higher self-control. These findings highlight environmental education&#39;s potential protective role in reducing adolescent problem behaviors and the importance of fostering nature connectedness while considering self-control differences in interventions.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1509091
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1509091
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/0044118X251392252
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 25
        StartPage: 784
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Behavior Problems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Management
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outdoor Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physical Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental Influences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: From Nature to Nurture: How Does Environmental Education Link with Adolescent Problem Behaviors through Nature Connectedness and Self-Control
        Type: main
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Weilin Xu
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cancan Jin
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 1552-8499
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              Value: 58
            – Type: issue
              Value: 5
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            – TitleFull: Youth & Society
              Type: main
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