Mental Health and Well-Being Among Middle and High School Students in Mainland France. Results of the 2024 National Survey of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools on Health and Substance Use (EnCLASS)
In 2024, the majority of middle and high school students perceive themselves to be in good or excellent health (down 4 points and 6 points, respectively, from 2022) and view their current lives positively (down 2 points and 5 points, respectively, from 2022).; 70% of middle school students and 63% of high school students report a good level of mental well-being (up 11 points and 12 points, respectively, compared to 2022).; 15% of middle school students and nearly 20% of high school students report feeling lonely (down 6 points and 7 points, respectively, compared to 2022).; 45% of middle school students (in grades 6, 7, and 8) report psychological complaints (a decrease of 4 percentage points compared to 2022). Nervousness is the most frequently reported complaint (32%), followed by irritability (29%) and feelings of depression (21%).; 19% of high school students are at high risk for depression (+3.5 points compared to 2022).; 20% of high school students report having had suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months (-4 points compared to 2022), 15% report having attempted suicide at some point in their lives (+2 percentage points compared to 2022), and approximately 3% report an attempt that resulted in hospitalization.; Students’ mental health and well-being deteriorate during middle school and do not improve in high school.; Overall, girls have poorer mental health and lower levels of well-being than boys.; Between 2022 and 2024, students’ mental health shows mixed trends. After a marked decline in all indicators between 2018 and 2022, some show improvement, while others continue their downward trend.
Author(s): Léon Christophe, Mertens Clément, Gillaizeau Ingrid, Le Nezet Olivier, Philippon Antoine, Spilka Stanislas, Godeau Emmanuelle
Publishing year: 2026
Pages: 23 p.
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