IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v72y2026i2p346-354.html

Mental health during the Lebanese economic crisis: Association between financial well-being, anxiety, and depression

Author

Listed:
  • Perla El Murr
  • Elias Rahme
  • Rudy S. Younes
  • Rabih Assaf
  • Nadine Zalaket

Abstract

Background: Since October 2019, Lebanon has been facing a severe and multifaceted economic crisis, considered one of the three most severe crises globally since the mid-1980s. Generally, economic crises and recessions are known to impact psychological well-being and mental health significantly. Aim: Considering this unique social context, the objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between financial well-being, anxiety, and depression among Lebanese adults during times of crisis. Method: This study included 225 Lebanese adults who completed an online questionnaire assessing sociodemographic data, financial well-being, anxiety, and depression. Results: Statistical analysis showed strong correlations between financial well-being and anxiety, as well as depression. This study shows an association between increasing levels of financial well-being and decreasing levels of anxiety and depression among Lebanese adults in times of crisis. Moreover, the study found negative correlations between age and anxiety, as well as age and depression. It also found that education level correlated with anxiety. Conclusion: The study offers insights into mental health in Lebanese society during times of crisis and recession, especially among relatively younger adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Perla El Murr & Elias Rahme & Rudy S. Younes & Rabih Assaf & Nadine Zalaket, 2026. "Mental health during the Lebanese economic crisis: Association between financial well-being, anxiety, and depression," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 72(2), pages 346-354, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:72:y:2026:i:2:p:346-354
    DOI: 10.1177/00207640251359059
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00207640251359059
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/00207640251359059?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brüggen, Elisabeth C. & Hogreve, Jens & Holmlund, Maria & Kabadayi, Sertan & Löfgren, Martin, 2017. "Financial well-being: A conceptualization and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 228-237.
    2. Rabah Arezki & Lili Mottaghi & Andrea Barone & Rachel Yuting Fan & Youssouf Kiendrebeogo & Daniel Lederman & Andrea Barone, "undated". "Middle East and North Africa Economic Monitor, April 2018," World Bank Publications - Reports 29649, The World Bank Group.
    3. Catalano, R., 1991. "The health effects of economic insecurity," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 81(9), pages 1148-1152.
    4. repec:wbk:wbpubs:30436 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. repec:wbk:wbpubs:29649 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Jarmo S. Kikstra & Adriano Vinca & Francesco Lovat & Benigna Boza-Kiss & Bas Ruijven & Charlie Wilson & Joeri Rogelj & Behnam Zakeri & Oliver Fricko & Keywan Riahi, 2021. "Climate mitigation scenarios with persistent COVID-19-related energy demand changes," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(12), pages 1114-1123, December.
    7. Rabah Arezki & Lili Mottaghi & Andrea Barone & Rachel Yuting Fan & Amani Abou Harb & Omer M. Karasapan & Hideki Matsunaga & Ha Nguyen & Francois de Soyres, "undated". "Middle East and North Africa Economic Monitor, October 2018 [Bulletin d'information economique de la region MENA]," World Bank Publications - Reports 30436, The World Bank Group.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Robert Kubinec, 2018. "Patrons or Clients? Measuring and Experimentally Evaluating Political Connections of Firms in Morocco and Jordan," Working Papers 1280, Economic Research Forum, revised 26 Dec 2018.
    2. Deping Xiong & Nada Khaddage-Soboh & Muhammad Umar & Adnan Safi & Diego Norena-Chavez, 2024. "Redefining entrepreneurship in the digital age: exploring the impact of technology and collaboration on ventures," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 3255-3281, December.
    3. Arezki,Rabah & Senbet,Lemma W., 2020. "Transforming Finance in the Middle East and North Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9301, The World Bank.
    4. Noviarini, Jelita & Coleman, Andrew & Roberts, Helen & Whiting, Rosalind H., 2023. "Financial literacy and retirees' resource allocation decisions in New Zealand," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    5. Laureane du Plessis & Yolanda Jordaan & Liezl-Marié van der Westhuizen, 2024. "Psychological needs and financial well-being: the role of consumer spending self-control," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(4), pages 1197-1206, December.
    6. Mette, Frederike Monika Budiner & de Matos, Celso Augusto & Rohden, Simoni F. & Ponchio, Mateus Canniatti, 2019. "Explanatory mechanisms of the decision to buy on credit: The role of materialism, impulsivity and financial knowledge," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 15-21.
    7. Rockstuhl, Sebastian & Wenninger, Simon & Wiethe, Christian & Ahlrichs, Jakob, 2022. "The influence of risk perception on energy efficiency investments: Evidence from a German survey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    8. Jeffrey Anvari-Clark & David Ansong, 2022. "Predicting Financial Well-Being Using the Financial Capability Perspective: The Roles of Financial Shocks, Income Volatility, Financial Products, and Savings Behaviors," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 730-743, December.
    9. Sargent-Cox, Kerry & Butterworth, Peter & Anstey, Kaarin J., 2011. "The global financial crisis and psychological health in a sample of Australian older adults: A longitudinal study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(7), pages 1105-1112.
    10. Nourallah, Mustafa & Öhman, Peter & Hamati, Samer, 2024. "Financial technology and financial capability: Study of the European Union," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    11. Malik, Faiza & Ishaq, Muhammad Ishtiaq, 2023. "Impact of minimalist practices on consumer happiness and financial well-being," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    12. Lenka Mynaříková & Vít Pošta, 2023. "The Effect of Consumer Confidence and Subjective Well-being on Consumers’ Spending Behavior," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 429-453, February.
    13. Montford, William J. & Leary, R. Bret & Nagel, Duane M., 2019. "The impact of implicit self-theories and loss salience on financial risk," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1-11.
    14. Jae Min Lee & Jonghee Lee & Kyoung Tae Kim, 2020. "Consumer Financial Well-Being: Knowledge is Not Enough," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 218-228, June.
    15. Asare, Samuel, 2024. "Association of cigarette smoking with changes in macroeconomic conditions," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    16. Andreas Andreou & Panagiotis Fragkos & Theofano Fotiou & Faidra Filippidou, 2022. "Assessing Lifestyle Transformations and Their Systemic Effects in Energy-System and Integrated Assessment Models: A Review of Current Methods and Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-24, July.
    17. Wang-Ly, Nathan & Newell, Ben R., 2022. "Allowing early access to retirement savings: Lessons from Australia," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 716-733.
    18. Nicole K Kelly & Nivedita L Bhushan & Nisha Gottfredson O’Shea & F Xavier Gómez-Olivé & Allison E Aiello & Laura Danielle Wagner & Sumaya Mall & Kathleen Kahn & Audrey E Pettifor & Marie CD Stoner, 2024. "Trajectories of intimate partner violence and their relationship to stress among young women in South Africa: An HPTN 068 study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(5), pages 904-914, August.
    19. Martina Pilloni & József Kádár & Tareq Abu Hamed, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Energy Start-Up Companies: The Use of Global Financial Crisis (GFC) as a Lesson for Future Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-15, May.
    20. Pankaj Kumar & Pardeep Ahlawat & Aarti Deveshwar & Mahender Yadav, 2025. "Do Villagers’ Financial Socialization, Financial Literacy, Financial Attitude, and Financial Behavior Predict Their Financial Well-Being? Evidence from an Emerging India," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 802-820, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:72:y:2026:i:2:p:346-354. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.