Climate Anxiety in a Young Population at Risk of Suicide
Recruiting · NCT07305688 · Observational (researchers observe without assigning treatment) · Lead sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Esquirol
View the official record on ClinicalTrials.gov →Interventions studied
What this trial is about
Climate change has become a major source of concern, particularly among younger generations who are facing the progressive degradation of ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, and alarming environmental information disseminated through the media. The direct perception of climate-related disruptions has been shown to engender a profound sense of helplessness and loss. This distress, termed eco-anxiety, is characterised by feelings of fear, sadness and guilt regarding the planet's future. In a context where there has been a marked increase in suicidal thoughts and attempts among young people over the past decade, it is essential to explore the psychological manifestations of eco-anxiety within this vulnerable population. The paucity of studies investigating this association underscores the significance of the present research. The aims of this study is to examine the relationship between climate anxiety and suicidal risk among young people aged 16 to 24 years. The study will encompass 108 young participants aged between 16 and 24 years, who are either hospitalised or receiving outpatient psychiatric care. Each participant will be required to complete one clinician-administered assessment, namely the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), and two self-report questionnaires: the Climate Change Anxiety Scale - French version (CCAS-FR) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y). Furthermore, a sociodemographic questionnaire will be administered in order to collect information regarding the subjects' age, sex, education level, living conditions, and psychiatric history. It is hypothesised that there is a positive association between climate anxiety and suicidal risk, with the most eco-anxious participants showing higher C-SSRS scores. It is further predicted that eco-anxiety will correlate with elevated levels of state and trait anxiety, with the potential for modulating this relationship by sociodemographic factors, including gender. This study will contribute to a better understanding of the psychological impacts of climate change on young people and help identify the most vulnerable profiles.
Who can take part
Inclusion criteria
- Men and women, boys and girls ;
- Aged between 16 and 24;
- Participants seen in adult or pediatric emergency departments, hospitalised in adult psychiatry or in child and adolescent psychiatry, or seen in outpatient consultation at Esquirol Hospital Center ;
- Affiliated with a social security scheme or entitled to coverage under one ;
- Having received full information about the study and having co-signed, together with the investigator, an informed consent form to participate in the study.
- For minor participants: the consent to participate in the study must be signed by the holder(s) of parental authority, and the minor's assent will also be required.
Exclusion criteria
- Participants will not be included in the study if their health condition is incompatible with understanding or completing the questionnaires used. This includes, in particular ;
- Any chronic somatic pathology or major sensory impairment (for example : deafness or blindness) preventing reading, comprehension or communication with healthcare professionals ;
- Any severe psychiatric pathology that significantly impairs cognitive or communication abilities, such as acute psychotic disorders, pervasive developmental disorders or confusional states ;
- Participants hospitalised in units specialising in severe psychiatric disorders with major impairment of cognitive functions.
- Adults under legal protection, in accordance with article L 1121-8 of the Public Health Code ;
- Insufficient command of the French language
Where it is running
1 location listed.
- Hospital Esquirol Center - Limoges, France