Financial distress and suicidal behaviour during COVID-19: Family identification attenuates the negative relationship between COVID-related financial distress and mental Ill-health

Abstract

COVID-19 provides a ‘perfect storm’ of social and economic suicide risk-factors. Recent research has evidenced an initial impact of the pandemic upon suicide rates, but has yet to understand how elevated financial threat and social isolation may predict suicide ideation/behaviour, or which social factors promote resilience. This study addressed these shortcomings. An online longitudinal survey study ( N = 370) which took place from May to September 2020 showed COVID-related financial distress predicts suicidal thoughts and behaviour via increased depression and loneliness. Family identification attenuates these relationships. Our findings reaffirm the importance of social factors in reducing mental ill-health outcomes of economic crises.

The global evolution of mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

“…There were 15 studies ( Bhuiyan et al, 2021 ; Chen et al, 2021 ; Cousijn et al, 2020 ; Dalkner et al, 2021 ; González-Sanguino et al, 2021 ; Gulliver et al, 2021 ; Han et al, 2021 ; Iovino et al, 2021 ; Johansson et al, 2021 ; López-Morales et al, 2021 ; Mergel and Schützwohl, 2021 ; Russell et al, 2021 ; Shuster et al, 2021 ; Somma et al, 2021 ; Stevenson and Wakefield, 2021 ) which reported the means of anxiety. Ten studies reported the anxiety means in two waves, two studies reported it in three waves, one study reported it in 10 waves, and one study reported it in four waves.…”

Associations between new health conditions and healthcare service utilizations among older adults in the United Kingdom: effects of COVID-19 risks, worse financial situation, and lowered income

“…Second, association of mental status with treatment cancellation and accessible care may be new direction in the future. This is can be reflected by several studies which reported the association between COVID-19-related financial situation and mental health [ 87 , 88 ]. If replicating in future studies, it is recommended that research with a longitudinal design be undertaken irrespective of crisis settings.…”

Who helps and why? A longitudinal exploration of volunteer role identity, between‐group closeness, and community identification as predictors of coordinated helping during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…; Peer et al, 2017 ). Indeed, ProA has been used for research topics, which rely on recruiting participants from a wide range of backgrounds (e.g., financial distress and mental ill‐health; see Stevenson & Wakefield, 2021 ). Although the only socioeconomic status variables we measured in the present study were education level and employment status, these variables indicated diversity among the participants (for highest education level, 5.5% had school qualifications achieved at 16 years of age, 26.2% had school qualifications achieved at 18 years of age, 39.3% had a degree, and 29% had a postgraduate degree; for employment status, 79.4% were employed, 5.6% were unemployed, 11.7% were students, 1.9% were retired, and 1.4% were homemakers).…”