Psychosocial skills (PSS) constitute a coherent and interrelated set of psychological capacities (cognitive, emotional and social), involving knowledge, intrapsychic processes and specific behaviors, which increase empowerment and the power to act, maintain a state of psychological well-being, promote optimal individual functioning and develop constructive interactions*.
The various international research projects conducted over the last thirty years show that their development in individuals is recognized as a decisive factor improving, among other things, health, overall health, the school environment, and educational and professional success. Conversely, the insufficient development of PSCs is one of the main causes of risky and violent behavior, as well as anxiety.
Affective and social neuroscience focuses on brain activity when we experience emotions or are in relation with others. The prefrontal cortex is the seat of the most elaborate cognitive abilities: concentration, planning, decision-making, intuition, critical thinking. Violence, indifference, lack of attention, lack of affection alter the possibility of playing this role.
regulator. Under the effect of stress, the archaic brain takes over. The prefrontal cortex is inhibited, the neuronal circuits ensuring self-control are disrupted. As a result, anxiety, anger and
les pulsions prennent le dessus. The development of CPS helps to strengthen the use of the prefrontal cortex and maintain a state of overall well-being.
Psychosocial skills (PSS) are divided into 9 general skills and 21 specific skills:
- Des compétences cognitives : self-awareness, self-control, making constructive decisions
- Emotional skills : being aware of your emotions and stress, regulating your emotions, managing your stress
- Social skills : solving difficulties, developing constructive relationships, communicating constructively.
In addition to being the subject of actions specifically dedicated to it, the development of PCS is an integral part of our approach. All our actions are thus constructed and run in such a way as to
promouvoir le bien-être individuel et collectif.
Quels que soient les publics et les actions menées, nous n’attendons pas des participant·es qu’iels nous donnent une bonne réponse mais qu’iels fassent preuve d’esprit critique, nous les invitons par
example to explore other points of view, to understand what happens or would happen in them (psychosocial mechanisms, emotions) in a particular situation.
We also try to encourage empathy by avoiding moralizing discourse or binary thinking, which leads to a reading of the world divided between good and evil, innocent and guilty. This approach is particularly relevant to most of our subjects: consent, stereotypes, sexual health, LGBT+phobias, street harassment, pornography, etc.
* Summary of the state of scientific and theoretical knowledge, Santé Publique France, 2021
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