Measurement of Connectedness with Nature: Evidence of Validity and Reliability for Use in Colombian Urban and Rural Sustainability Contexts

Willian Sierra-Barón (), Andrés Gómez-Acosta, María Delfina Luna-Krauletz, Sergio Falla-Tapias and Erika Judith López-Santamaria
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Willian Sierra-Barón: Sintropia Research Group, Surcolombiana University, Neiva 410003, Colombia
Andrés Gómez-Acosta: Department of Psychology, University of Pamplona, Pamplona 543050, Colombia
María Delfina Luna-Krauletz: Instituto de Estudios Ambientales, Universidad de Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca 68725, Mexico
Sergio Falla-Tapias: Program of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Related Sciences, Corporación Universitaria del Huila (Corhuila), Neiva 410003, Colombia
Erika Judith López-Santamaria: Sintropia Research Group, Surcolombiana University, Neiva 410003, Colombia

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: The growing disconnection between humans and nature—particularly in urban environments—has been associated with declining well-being and lower engagement in pro-environmental behavior. Although the Connectedness with Nature Scale (CNS) has been widely used internationally to measure this relationship, there is a lack of evidence on its validity and reliability in Latin American contexts, especially in urban and rural settings. This study aims to address this gap by examining the psychometric properties of the CNS in a sample of 956 Colombian participants. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, we tested two versions of the scale (14-item and 12-item models), both showing good fit and high internal consistency (α > 0.90). Convergent validity was confirmed through strong correlations with the Environmental Identity and Pro-environmental Behavior Scales. These findings support the CNS as a valid and reliable tool to assess the human–nature connection in Colombia and highlight its potential for informing urban sustainability initiatives, environmental education, and public policy in diverse sociocultural contexts.

Keywords: connectedness with nature; sustainability; urban–rural contexts; psychometrics; pro-environmental behavior; well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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