The psychological burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Arab citizens in Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Jordan

Abstract

The study aimed to reveal the psychological burden in the light of Corona virus pandemic. To achieve study objectives, a scale was prepared to reveal the mental disorders. The study sample consisted of (532) individuals. The results showed that the most prevalent disorder is panic disorder with (25%), the least of which is adjustment disorder with (15%). Moreover, the results indicated that there are no differences in all mental disorders due to the gender variable, except for adjustment disorder, in favor of males. Also, the age group (15-19) years is the most affected by panic disorder, general anxiety and adjustment, the Saudi nationals were the most affected by panic disorder, severe depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and there were no differences in generalized anxiety disorder and adjustment due to the nationality and residence variables. In addition, the population of Saudi Arabia is the most affected by panic disorder. The results showed that individuals with chronic diseases are the most affected by all mental disorders, there are differences in panic disorder due to the economic status variable, in favor of the low-income category, and there are differences in the rest of the studied disorders, in favor of the middle-income category.