Children and adolescents growing up in Lebanon have faced an exceptionally challenging environment marked by chronic instability and cumulative traumatic experiences. Over the past decades, they have endured multiple episodes of armed conflict, sustained economic and political uncertainty, a severe financial collapse, an unprecedented public health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the catastrophic Beirut port explosion in August 2020. More recently, the war of 2024 added yet another layer of collective trauma to this already vulnerable population.
Since 2014, our research team has been systematically investigating the mental health outcomes and psychosocial correlates among Lebanese youth. Across several waves of assessment, our findings have consistently demonstrated a high prevalence of psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and behavioral difficulties, alongside an alarming treatment gap reflecting limited access to psychological services. Importantly, our studies have also identified a number of protective factors, such as family cohesion, community connectedness, and adaptive coping strategies, which appear to mitigate distress and foster resilience. These results highlight the urgent need for culturally informed mental health interventions and the promotion of resilience-building resources within this at-risk population.