Farmer Mental Health, Psychological Stress, and Pest Resilience: Modeling the Psychosocial-Ecological System under Climate Change
Jingna Liu, Xiaona Jing, Yang Sun, Lichun ZhaoAbstract
Objective
This study develops a “psychosocial-ecological” model to explore agricultural system resilience under climate change. It examines how farmers’ psychological adaptations, shaped by psychological stress, mental health, risk perception and social support, interact with pests, aiming to reveal feedback between farmers’ mental well-being and agro-ecosystem sustainability.
Subjects and Methods
Agent-based modeling (ABM) was used, based on data from 200 farming households. Surveys quantified psychological variables (stress, mental health, self-efficacy) and adaptive behaviors; ecological models simulated pests. A dynamic ABM integrated these, with virtual farmers deciding based on stress, mental state and social networks.
Results
Critical stress and mental health thresholds were identified. Excessive stress impairing mental health reduced self-efficacy, triggering heavy pesticide use and higher pest vulnerability. Strong social support and adaptive information reduced stress, improved mental health, and enhanced ecological resilience.
Conclusions
Agro-ecosystem resilience depends on farmers’ mental health, stress levels and pest ecology. Policies should alleviate stress, improve mental health and strengthen adaptive capacity, as supporting mental health and reducing stress are key to farmer well-being and ecological balance.
Corresponding Author
Jingna Liu, School of Mathematics, Anshan Normal University, Anshan 114007, China.