Abstract
PurposeThis cross-sectional study focuses on the social psychological correlates of self-harm and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak in Lebanon, which is a country characterized by political and economic instability.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sample of 191 Lebanese individuals completed measures of length of being in lockdown, fear of COVID-19, job insecurity, political trust, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and multiple regression.FindingsFear of COVID-19 was associated with neither self-harm nor suicidal ideation. Males and people with lower income reported higher suicidal ideation than females and those with higher income, respectively, and religiosity was inversely associated with suicidal ideation. People who reported self-harm generally exhibited lower political trust than those who did not report self-harm.Research limitations/implicationsBeyond the fear of COVID-19, the socioeconomic sequelae of COVID-19 (especially the economic fallout and declining political trust), which are accentuated in already economically and politically unstable societies, may precipitate poor mental health and maladaptive coping strategies in Lebanon. There is a need to ensure adequate access to mental health services to the general population amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Lebanon.Originality/valueThis study provides novel insight into the risk factors for self-harm and suicidal ideation in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlights
This article presents preliminary data on self-harm and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 outbreak in Lebanon
It has been argued that men and women appear to experience the pandemic and the associated lockdown differently and this may be especially true of patriarchal societies, such as Lebanon, in which men and women are expected to conform to strict gender norms [4]
We examine the impact of social, psychological and economic variables related to the outbreak of self-harm and suicidal ideation in the Lebanese general population
Summary
This article presents preliminary data on self-harm and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 outbreak in Lebanon. Along with its response measures, the pandemic has been associated with poor mental health outcomes [1]. Fear of COVID-19, being in lockdown and job insecurity are some of the psychological stressors reportedly associated with adverse mental health outcomes during the pandemic [2]. It has been argued that men and women appear to experience the pandemic and the associated lockdown differently and this may be especially true of patriarchal societies, such as Lebanon, in which men and women are expected to conform to strict gender norms [4]. This study focuses on the effects of demographic variables and social psychological variables on two indicators of mental health – self-harm and suicidal ideation – during the pandemic
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