18/05/2026/
Although substance use among young people has declined in recent years, the consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS) among youth in France remains at very high levels compared with other European countries. Research has shown that PAS use is closely associated with mental health. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous studies have highlighted a significant deterioration in young people’s mental health, with increasing rates of depressive disorders and insufficient access to psychiatric care, alongside potential socio-economic inequalities.
In addition, the 2020 French high school reform has contributed to the loss of the traditional class-group structure for students and increased academic pressure, potentially affecting students’ well-being, mental health, and addictive behaviors.
In this context, the objective of the study is to prevent PAS use through a method developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), whose effectiveness and acceptability among young people will be evaluated. This method consists of a guided self-help intervention called DWM (“Doing What Matters in Times of Stress”).
We hope that this intervention will help reduce psychological distress and prevent the onset of psychiatric disorders, thereby reducing PAS consumption. Participants will be recruited through youth associations, sports clubs, socio-cultural organizations, local employment and youth support services, and other youth support programs, with the aim of enrolling 3,000 young people aged 10 to 24 years.
Two groups will be formed and compared: one group receiving the DWM intervention (n=1,000) and a control group not receiving the intervention (n=2,000). An initial questionnaire administered before the intervention will assess participants’ health status as well as potential social and socio-territorial inequalities. Two additional questionnaires will be completed by all participants at the end of the intervention period. DWM is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on learning new ways to accommodate thoughts and feelings without allowing them to dominate the mind. DWM is a self-administered tool accessible via smartphone or computer over a five-week period.
The program aims to address both psychological difficulties—such as stress, fear, and feelings of helplessness—and practical issues, including family conflicts and related challenges. A qualitative study will also be conducted with 40 volunteer participants to evaluate how the intervention was experienced and appropriated by young people. Using the baseline questionnaire, we will be able to describe factors associated with psychological difficulties and addictive behaviors among young people, including the social and family determinants related to the impact of COVID-19 and the high school reform, in order to identify potential socio-economic inequalities. Young people who complete the DWM intervention are expected to demonstrate better mental health outcomes than the control group and therefore be less likely to consume psychoactive substances. The study will assess potential short-term changes in substance use and changes in perceptions of such use. This method complements the development of psychosocial skills by providing simple tools that can be used at any time throughout life to help manage stress, regardless of its origin. If the results are positive, this intervention could be implemented on a large scale among young people. It could also help reduce the demand for mental health care among large numbers of young people, allowing specialized care systems—which are already under strain—to focus on the most severe cases.
Project funding :
Institut national du cancer et de l’IRESP (INCa-IReSP_18705).
ESSMA Team members involved:
Murielle MARY-KRAUSE, Thibault LANDES, Héla GHRIBI, Jean-Sébastien CADWALLADER, Angèle CONSOLI.
Collaborations:
FCPE
Our team is located on a single site, on the 3rd floor of the Pierre et Marie Curie Faculty of Medicine, Pôle Saint-Antoine
27 rue de Chaligny
Paris 12°
Tél.: +(33) 01.44.73.84.45
Métro : Faidherbe-Chaligny (8), Reuilly Diderot (1)
Bus : 46 – 86
Vélib : Station 1108, 223 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine
Autolib : Station 199, 199 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine
