A Randomised Controlled Trial of Mental Mode Management to Foster Pro-Environmental Behaviour and Reduce Climate Change Anxiety in French Adults

Serena L. Colombo, Camille Lefrançois, Jacques Fradin, Salvatore G. Chiarella (), Antonino Raffone and Luca Simione
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Serena L. Colombo: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Camille Lefrançois: Laboratoire de Psychologie et de Neurosciences, Institut de Médecine Environnementale (IME), 03700 Serbannes, France
Jacques Fradin: Laboratoire de Psychologie et de Neurosciences, Institut de Médecine Environnementale (IME), 03700 Serbannes, France
Salvatore G. Chiarella: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Antonino Raffone: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Luca Simione: Department of International Humanities and Social Sciences, UNINT, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 200, 00147 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-21

Abstract: Addressing climate change requires not only knowledge but also psychological resilience. This study examined whether integrating Mental Mode Management (MMM) self-regulation training with climate education improves pro-environmental outcomes and emotional responses to climate change. In a randomised 2 × 2 design, 44 participants were assigned to either a control group (CG; n = 21), which received a six-week climate education programme, or an experimental group (MMM; n = 23), which received the same education plus MMM training. Pro-environmental attitudes, behaviours, carbon emissions, climate change anxiety, mindfulness, and executive functions were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. A follow-up was also conducted six months later. Both groups showed increased pro-environmental attitudes post-intervention (η 2 = 0.3) and reduced food-related emissions (η 2 = 0.107). No changes were observed in pro-environmental behaviour scores or global carbon footprint. While neither intervention affected overall climate anxiety or cognitive impairment, functional impairment increased in the CG and decreased in the MMM group (η 2 = 0.177), with mindfulness facet acting with awareness moderating this effect. These findings contribute to sustainability research by showing that integrating climate education with psychological training enhances environmental awareness and fosters emotionally resilient engagement with climate challenges, supporting individual-level contributions to broader sustainability goals.

Keywords: pro-environmental behaviours; pro-environmental attitudes; climate change anxiety; self-regulation skills; mindfulness; environmental education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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