Digital Communication Preferences and Environmental Behavior: A Mixed-Methods Study of Youth Waste Management Education in Buddhist Bhutan

Background Understanding youth perceptions and communication preferences regarding environmental education is crucial for developing effective interventions, particularly in understudied cultural contexts. Most environmental behavior research focuses on Western or large developing countries, leaving significant gaps in understanding small developing nations with unique cultural frameworks. Objective This study explored youth perceptions, communication preferences, and content effectiveness for waste management education within Bhutan’s Buddhist collectivist culture, addressing identified research gaps in small developing countries. Methods A convergent mixed-methods design combined quantitative surveys (n=185) with qualitative interviews (n=10) at Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School in Thimphu, Bhutan. The theoretical framework integrated Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Learning Theory, Diffusion of Innovations Theory, and Community-Based Social Marketing principles. Results Students demonstrated exceptionally high environmental awareness (99.5%) and positive attitudes toward waste separation (mean scores 4.4-4.8 on 5-point scales). Social media emerged as the overwhelmingly preferred communication channel (78.4%), with videos being the most engaging content format (81.6%). Key barriers included time constraints (61.6%), infrastructure limitations (51.9%), and motivational challenges (46.5%). Notably, social influence showed only moderate impact (mean=3.7), lower than typically found in collectivist cultures. Qualitative analysis revealed five themes: shared responsibility burdens, engagement sustainability challenges, system effectiveness limitations, civic values education needs, and institutional support requirements. Conclusions Bhutanese youth show strong environmental awareness coupled with distinct motivational patterns where environmental behavior appears more individually driven than typically found in collectivist cultures, suggesting Buddhist values of personal responsibility create unique frameworks. Digital communication channels, particularly video content through social media, offer promising avenues for environmental education. A multifaceted approach combining improved infrastructure, educational reinforcement, and culturally-appropriate communication strategies is essential for promoting sustainable waste management practices among youth in similar contexts.