The Impact of the Economic Crisis and Displacement on Early Screening of Developmental Difficulties in Lebanon

Background: The early years of a child's life are considered crucial for developing essential skills, and early assessment of developmental difficulties (communication, language or psychomotor difficulties) is making early assessment of developmental challenges—such as communication, language, or psychomotor difficulties— an important health measure during early childhood. Moreover, the socio-economic status of the family may influence the decision for seeking consultation when parents suspect developmental delays in their child. Aims and Objectives: This research aims to study the impact of the economic crisis and displacement on both Lebanese and non-Lebanese families residing in Lebanon who have children under the age of five. The study seeks to explore the impact of the economic crisis on the quality of parent-child interaction, parents' knowledge on parenting and child development, and parents' decision to seek a specialist consultation when they suspect developmental problems in Lebanese and displaced families in Lebanon. Additionally, it aims to analyze the correlation between parent's knowledge on parenting and child development in Lebanese and displaced families in Lebanon. Research Methodology: The study sample consisted of 179 participants (distributed across three groups based on family nationality: Lebanese, Syrian, or Palestinian) that were affected by the economic crisis, and had children aged between one and a half and five years. A statistical analysis was conducted by using the Spearman correlation to examine the relationship between three independent variables on the entire sample and within each of the three groups including the severity of the economic crisis within the family, seeking specialized consultation, and the dependent variables: parental knowledge about parenting and parent-child interaction. Results: The study revealed a significant correlation between the severity of the economic crisis and parental knowledge about parenting and parent-child interaction on the other hand. This correlation was observed in the overall sample of participating families and specifically in the Lebanese and Palestinian groups, but not in the Syrian group. Conclusion: The economic crisis has negatively impacted the early detection of developmental difficulties in young children among Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian families residing in Lebanon. This is evidenced by the correlation observed between the severity of the crisis, parental knowledge about parenting, child development, and parent-child interaction.