Psychosocial skills are a set of psychological abilities (cognitive, emotional, and social) that help maintain mental well-being. They foster better relationships with oneself and others and enhance a person’s ability to cope with the demands and challenges of daily life. PSCs can be strengthened at any age, particularly among children and young people, through psychoeducational activities. Over the past 30 years, numerous research studies have demonstrated the importance of PSCs in children’s development, well-being, and health, starting from a very young age.

One of Santé publique France’s key areas of focus is the development of social and emotional skills. To this end, Santé publique France contributes its expertise and participates in the implementation of high-quality social and emotional skills practices in school, after-school, and extracurricular settings. The development of PSCs is central to public health promotion because it helps foster overall and mental health, well-being, educational success, and professional integration, while preventing risky behaviors (violence/bullying, addictive behaviors).

Our actions are part of a national multisectoral strategy for the development of psychosocial skills among children and youth, currently being rolled out in France. Involving nine ministries*, it is co-led by the ministries responsible for health and national education and falls under an interministerial directive for 2022–2037. Its goal is to develop the psychosocial skills of children and youth in all their living environments and across all learning contexts throughout their development, so that “the 2037 generation will be the first to grow up in an environment that continuously supports the development of psychosocial skills.”

Psychosocial skills: a key lever for health promotion

The development of PSCs helps increase psychological well-being, improve individual and relational functioning, build healthy and positive relationships, adopt health-promoting behaviors, and reduce risky behaviors.

As a protective factor for overall health (physical, mental, and social), mental health, well-being, and educational and social success, the development of PSCs is a strategic avenue to be pursued in public health, education, and social action. Highlighted by the WHO as early as the 1980s, within the framework of the Ottawa Charter, the development of PSCs represents one of the five key areas of action in health promotion and a major prevention strategy (particularly in the fields of addiction, mental health, sexual health, and generally to prevent risky behaviors).

A framework to better understand and strengthen psychosocial skills

Santé publique France has published the first volume of the “Operational Framework for PSK Experts and Trainers.” This operational framework compiles a wealth of information useful for PSK experts and trainers. Volume 1 addresses the intervention framework, the three general psychosocial competencies (cognitive, emotional, and social) of the first phase—known as “understanding and acceptance”—and their 11 associated specific psychosocial competencies.

Written by public health professionals and social science researchers specializing in CPS, this guide aims to convey up-to-date, scientific, and experiential knowledge—with an operational focus—on how each CPS functions. Each CPS is explored in depth from a theoretical perspective and accompanied by examples of activities that promote its development at different ages.

The goal is thus to foster an understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying each of the CPS. These concepts are currently still insufficiently understood by professionals in health prevention and promotion, as well as by education and social services professionals who implement CPS actions and practices.

This first volume focuses on the first three general CPS:

• Cognitive: strengthening self-awareness

  • increasing self-knowledge;

  • learning to think critically;

  • knowing one’s values, needs, and personal goals;

  • making constructive decisions;

  • evaluating oneself positively;

  • strengthen one’s full attention (to oneself).

• Emotional: strengthen awareness of emotions

  • understand emotions;

  • identify one’s emotions.

• Social: developing constructive relationships

  • communicate effectively and positively;

  • communicating empathetically;

  • developing bonds and prosocial behaviors.

The content of this guide was presented at a seminar on the transfer of knowledge and expertise regarding CPS. The seminar took place from February 3 to 5, 2025, at the conference center on the Condorcet campus in Aubervilliers, attended by national CPS experts and trainers from various government sectors (National Education, agricultural high schools, juvenile justice, sports, community education, vocational integration, etc.).
This framework will be supplemented in the fall by Volume 2, which will address general and specific CPS for the second phase, known as “Regulation and Accomplishment.”

• Access the seminar recordings and presentations