MISAPSY: childhood maltreatment, food insecurity, psychological distress and professional integration among socioeconomically disadvantaged young adults – a mixed-methods study protocol

The MISAPSY study (Childhood Maltreatment, Food Insecurity, Psychological Distress and professional integration among socioeconomically disadvantaged young adults) aims to model the interrelations between child maltreatment, psychological distress and food insecurity, among precarious young adults enrolled in French integration services (Mission Locale). This population is exposed to multiple forms of social and material precarity. While food insecurity constitutes a tangible and increasingly prevalent dimension of precarity, it remains underexplored. By examining food insecurity alongside traumatic experiences and psychological distress, the study seeks to develop transferable explanatory models to inform the design of targeted prevention and support programs for young people in vulnerable situations. A triaxial methodology approach is implemented: (1) a cross-sectional study using standardized questionnaires to identify associated factors; (2) a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews exploring psychologists’ subjective experiences of supporting these young people; and (3) a longitudinal comparative interventional study evaluates two different support programs (food aid only and combination of food aid and psychological support) for young adults enrolled in an insertion pathway. Outcomes include changes in psychological well-being and in food insecurity. Quantitative analyses will include descriptive and multivariate statistical tests using R, while qualitative data will be analyzed through thematic analysis with NVivo. Intervention effects will be examined using pre/post comparisons, mixed models, and appropriate statistical corrections. This study is expected to highlight the high prevalence and interrelated nature of food insecurity, psychological distress, and traumatic experiences in this population. It is hypothesized that the combined intervention will show greater benefits for mental health status. MISAPSY aims to contribute to integrated, trauma-informed and food-security-oriented models to guide practitioners and policymakers in addressing the specific needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged young adults. This study is registered with the Biomedical Research Identification Number (n°ID-RCB) assigned in France by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM): 2025-A01928-41, and have received the approval from the Committee for the Protection of Persons Ile-de-France XI and two Ethics Committees. This study was also registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on February 20, 2026 (NCT07427524). The full protocol and prespecified outcomes are publicly accessible through this registry.