Economic burdens, social protection and well-being amidst the COVID-19 crisis in the MENA region: insights from fuzzy set-theoretic approach

Purpose This study investigates the pathways and the possible combinations between social protection and economic hardships, contributing to explain individuals’ psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in the MENA region. Design/methodology/approach In this research, we use the fuzzy set-theoretic approach, enabling a detailed analysis of how causal conditions contribute to an outcome using Boolean algebra and the Quine–McCluskey algorithm. This approach is particularly suited to causal process analysis due to its configurational understanding of how causes (conditions) combine to produce outcomes. Then, we will separately test the conditions identified as necessary and/or sufficient for each country included in our analysis. Findings Our empirical findings confirm the presence of several paths (configurations) leading to either good or bad psychological well-being scores during the COVID-19 crisis. We observed that the absence of economic burdens is a necessary but not sufficient condition for achieving good well-being scores, as it is present in all combinations linked with the outcome but cannot produce this outcome alone. However, the results indicate that the absence of social protection combined with an age below 35 years is a sufficient but not necessary combination for producing bad well-being scores. There is clear evidence that governments and policymakers in the MENA region have implemented policies primarily concentrating on physical well-being, with a relatively limited emphasis on psychological well-being. Originality/value While numerous studies in the literature have delved into the impact of job loss during the COVID-19 crisis on depression or anxiety, to our knowledge, few have specifically examined the association links between social protection responses, economic hardships and the psychology well-being of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the MENA region. Consequently, this paper aims to contribute to filling this research gap.