RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Climate Anxiety in a Young Population at Risk of Suicide

This study, called Anx-RS France, is exploring the connection between worries about climate change (sometimes called eco-anxiety) and thoughts of suicide in young people aged 16 to 24. Many young people are concerned about the environment, and this study wants to understand how these worries might affect their mental health, especially those who are already receiving mental health support. Participants will complete a few questionnaires about their feelings of anxiety and any thoughts of suicide. The aim is to help doctors and experts better understand how climate change concerns might impact young people's mental well-being and to identify those who might need extra support.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Esquirol

Enrolment target

108

Start

15 Dec 2025

Estimated completion

15 Mar 2027

Anxiety Suicidal Ideation Mental Health Issue Environmental Exposure

What is this study about?

Many young people are increasingly worried about climate change, hearing news about its effects like rising temperatures and extreme weather. This can lead to feelings of fear, sadness, and helplessness about the future of our planet, which some people call 'eco-anxiety'. At the same time, experts have noticed a rise in young people having thoughts about suicide in recent years.

This study aims to understand if there's a link between these worries about climate change and thoughts of suicide in young people. Researchers believe that the stress from eco-anxiety could make existing mental health challenges harder for some. By studying this, they hope to get a clearer picture of how environmental concerns might affect the mental well-being of young people and teenagers.

Specifically, this research will involve 108 young people between 16 and 24 years old who are already getting help for their mental health, either in hospital or at a clinic. The findings from this study could help us better understand the challenges young people face due to climate change anxiety and how to support those who are most affected.

Key takeaways

This study explores eco-anxiety and suicide risk in young people.
It involves 16-24 year olds already receiving mental health care.
Participation includes completing questionnaires about anxiety and mental health.
Your input could help improve support for young people with climate worries.
Participation is voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time.
The study focuses on understanding a link, not providing treatment.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be a young person aged between 16 and 24 years old. You should also be getting mental health care, whether you're staying in hospital, visiting a clinic, or being seen in an emergency department for a mental health reason in France.

It's important that you can understand the study information and fill out questionnaires. If you're under 18, a parent or guardian will need to give their permission for you to take part, and you'll also need to agree yourself.

However, you can't join if you have certain health conditions that would make it hard to understand or complete the questionnaires. This includes severe eyesight or hearing problems, serious mental health conditions that affect your thinking or communication, or if you're currently in a specialised hospital unit for very severe mental illness. You also need to speak French.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 16 and 24 years old?
Are you currently receiving mental health care in hospital or outpatient clinic?
Can you understand information in French and complete questionnaires?
Are you able to provide consent (or your parent/guardian if you are under 18)?
Do you not have severe health issues that prevent understanding or communication?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete a few questionnaires. One will be given by a healthcare professional you'll speak with, which helps to understand any thoughts about suicide. You'll also fill out two other questionnaires yourself. These will ask about your worries related to climate change and your general levels of anxiety. Finally, you’ll answer some questions about your age, gender, education, living situation, and any past mental health history. This is a one-time process and does not involve taking any medication or follow-up appointments from the study itself. The total duration for completing these questionnaires should be quite short.

Potential risks and benefits

There are no direct medical benefits from taking part in this study, but your contribution will be very valuable. It will help researchers understand how climate change worries affect young people's mental health, which could lead to better support in the future. The main potential risk is that answering questions about anxiety and suicidal thoughts could be upsetting for some. However, the study is designed to be careful, and you can stop taking part at any time without giving a reason, and it won't affect your ongoing medical care.

Locations (1)

Hospital Esquirol Center
Verified postcode
Limoges, France· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'eco-anxiety'?

Eco-anxiety is a term for feelings of fear, sadness, and helplessness when thinking about the future of our planet due to climate change.

Why is this study being done?

The study aims to see if worries about climate change are connected to thoughts of suicide in young people, to help us better understand their mental health needs.

Will I have to take any medicine?

No, this study does not involve any medication. You will only be asked to complete questionnaires.

Who can see my answers?

All your answers will be kept private and confidential. Only the research team will see them, and your personal information will be protected.

How long will it take to participate?

The time it takes to complete the questionnaires will be relatively short, likely less than an hour, as it's a one-off assessment.

How to find out more

Mireille BELLE MBOU, PhD

mireille.bellembou@ch-esquirol-limoges.fr 0587509130 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.