Lebanese Teachers’ Perceptions of their Subjective Well-being in Times of Crisis

Abstract

Lebanese citizens in general and school teachers in particular have been experiencing intensely challenging circumstances since October 2019, including a political upheaval, an economic collapse, a global pandemic and one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in recorded history, thus jeopardizing their lives and their livelihood. This study examines how English K-6 teachers at private schools in Beirut describe their mental well-being in light of the health, economic and political unrest following the Beirut port explosion. The study utilizes a mixed method research design triangulating data from a quantitative survey, semi-structured interviews, and auto-ethnographic journals to gain insight into the perspectives of the teachers regarding their subjective wellbeing. The quantitative results show that the teachers’ wellbeing has been greatly impacted by the explosion and the concurrent crises, where the majority of the teachers reported not getting the needed support to persevere and manage during these tough times. The majority of the teachers also reported high levels of stress and felt that they were unsafe in the country, where more than half of the participants expressed an intent to leave Lebanon. The qualitative data supports findings from the quantitative data, where the thematic analysis gave rise to themes that illustrate the traumatic experiences of the teachers during this period of protracted social crisis. Participants profoundly expressed their struggle with their psychological health post blast, as well as highlighted the need for support. Hence, prioritizing teachers’ wellbeing is key to their perseverance as Lebanese citizens and as educators who play a central role in maintaining flailing educational system in Lebanon.