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The current study aimed to investigate the longitudinal predictors of perceived importance of climate change and personal worry among Italian youths. Specifically, we used machine learning techniques to examine the predictive importance of a wide range of socio-demographic factors, political perceptions, attitudes on a national and European level (identity, attitudes, tolerance, support for democracy, authoritarianism, nationalism, political trust), efficacy beliefs, social well-being, political interest, and different forms of participation on perceived importance of climate change and personal worry. In this longitudinal study, we collected data using a questionnaire in two waves at a one-year interval—in 2016 and 2017. Participants were 1288 Italian young adults (61.3% were female; 38.7% were male) whose mean age was 19.18 (SD = 3.29) ranging between 15 and 30 years. Breiman’s random forest algorithm performed better than Friedman’s gradient boosting machines algorithm. The random forest algorithm revealed that age, tolerance toward migrants, and tolerance toward refugees were the most important predictors of perceived importance of climate change and personal worry. Other important predictors were national/European identity, political interest, internal political efficacy, nationalism, social well-being, self-efficacy, authoritarianism, anti-democratic attitudes, EU warmth, and online and civic participation.

This chapter addresses critical consciousness (CC) in educational and community psychology interventions with young people. We first introduce the conceptualisation of CC and its components, the main research findings on the links between CC and some individual and contextual variables, and its association with positive developmental outcomes. Then, we focus on interventions aimed to foster CC development in adolescents and young adults, presenting two case studies. The first case study is based on Youth- led Participatory Action Research (Y- PAR). The main goal was to promote critical active European citizenship, involving students at an Italian high school in a practical experience of PAR on social issues at local and European level. The second case study is based on the implementation of the service- learning (SL) methodology to promote CC and civic and cultural competences in Italian university students. Here the focus is on analysing the reflexive process in SL as a “tool” to critically understand and address social and cultural issues. Finally, the implications of CC for a future Community Psychology praxis are discussed.