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

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.