Mental Health and Innovation for French Higher-education Students

The SMILE Protocol: a Longitudinal Study of Mental Health and Inherent Vulnerabilities of French Higher-education Students Through a Symptom-network Analysis

To fully grasp mental health, it is essential to understand and assess it by considering all the factors that affect it: family environment, school environment, emotional relationships, living conditions, social networks, etc.

The symptom network approach takes into account a network of overlapping, multi-layered interactions. These networks evolve over time and are constantly mediated by other nodes, i.e., symptoms, which allows for the identification of markers (vulnerabilities or comorbidities) and the establishment of the dynamics of causal mechanisms. Mental health is thus a sum of stable states within a dynamic network structure of symptoms.

Beyond determining prevalence, the SMILE project therefore aims for an analytical, network-based approach to symptoms of mental health and the inherent vulnerabilities of students through a self-administered questionnaire designed to examine various cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral functions, and to address this new approach. The SMILE study could also help advance public health and identify the impact of university actions on the mental health of their own students.

The main objective of the SMILE study is to conduct a survey on the mental health and inherent vulnerabilities of the student population in France over the three years of higher education. More specifically, it aims to examine their health status, behaviors, perceptions, and practices, thereby addressing key scientific and societal questions.

Participants will be assessed using a single self-administered questionnaire. The collected variables will be analyzed using a symptom network approach that combines recurrent neural network algorithms and autotransformers. In parallel, subgroup analyses and correlations will be sought between responses and/or scores from the study questionnaires.

Beyond determining the prevalence of student mental health and inherent vulnerabilities during higher education, the SMILE study could contribute to advancements in public health and identify the impact of institutional actions on the mental health of their own students.

Several secondary objectives were defined:

1. To describe subgroups of young people according to:

   • The intensity of behavioral skills (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity), and social skills as a measure of behavioral and emotional psychopathological traits;
   • Handedness preference;
   • The quality of life of young people based on their sleep capacity, behavior, and motivation/engagement.

2. To identify relevant variables associated with their cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and motivational capacities in order to analyze their interrelationships.

3. To identify markers or risk factors for cognitive, emotional, and behavioral performance;

4. To assess the relevance of such a survey for students. Associations and correlations will be sought between cognitive, emotional, and behavioral performance, as defined by the primary objective, and the various variables studied in the secondary objective above, using parametric or non-parametric techniques or multivariate regressions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Boys or girls
• Students in higher education in France or its overseas territories
• Possess a valid email address for contact related to University or higher education institution
• Speak fluent French

Exclusion Criteria:

• Does not speak fluent French (the platform is available in English but the study is primarily intended for French speakers).