Housing Poverty and Suicidal Ideation among People with Disabilities in the COVID-19 Situation: Serial Mediation Effects of Family Conflict and Depression

Background: Although housing poverty, family conflict, and depression have been identified as significant predictors of suicidal ideation (SI) among people with disabilities (PWDs), especially in the COVID-19 situation, little attention has been paid to the mechanisms among these determinants. Objective: This study examined the mediating roles of family conflict and depression between housing poverty in the COVID-19 situation and SI. Methods: We analyzed the 15th 2020 Korean Welfare Panel Study, conducted during the implementation of social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A final sample was 666 PWDs living with families, and two serial mediation analyses were conducted to examine the serial effects of housing poverty on SI, mediated via negative family conflict resolution and depression. Results: housing poverty was found to be a significant predictor of higher levels of negative family conflict resolution, consequently triggering depression, which, in turn, was associated with greater SI. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of addressing family conflict between PWDs and their family caregiver in cramped spaces amid the COVID-19 lockdown to prevent SI among PWDs.