Relationships among Environmental Attitudes, Environmental Knowledge, and Outdoor Recreational Habits of Upper Elementary School Students in Mississippi

Research sought to evaluate environmental attitudes, environmental knowledge, and nature-based recreation in Mississippi upper-elementary adolescents, as delineated by race/ethnicity and gender. Research was conducted Spring 2015 in eight study schools using three survey instruments. Analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA, univariate analysis of variance, and generalized linear mixed models. Results found that no gender differences exist between environmental attitudes or knowledge; however, Caucasian/White students displayed significantly higher environmental knowledge and attitudes versus their African American/Black peers. Additionally, a positive relationship was detected between attitudes and knowledge of study participants. Outdoor, nature-based recreation participation varied along race/ethnicity and gender, with Caucasian/White and male students displaying higher levels of participation. These results suggest a need for targeted environmental education programs for African American/Black students to include integrated knowledge components, as well as increased recreation opportunities for African American/Black and female study participant