Female education ban by the Taliban: A descriptive survey study on suicidal ideation, mental health, and health-related quality of life among girls in Afghanistan

Abstract

Background Following the Taliban’s resurgence, Afghan girls were probited from attending school and university, likely causing adverse psychological effects. Therefore, the present study investigated depression, suicidal ideation, and quality of life (QoL) among Afghan girls banned from education by the Taliban. Methods A survey study assessed depression, suicidal ideation, and QoL among 426 females prohibited from attending secondary schools, high schools, and universities by the Taliban. The study used the CES-D 20 Scale to assess depression, and the WHOQOL-Bref Questionnaire to assess QoL. Associations between variables were tested with chi-square tests, and predictors of QoL were analyzed through multivariate regression analysis. Results Among the 426 participants, 87.6% exhibited depression symptoms and 49.8% reported suicidal thoughts. Significant predictors of overall QoL included monthly family income (B = 0.147, P = 0.001), recent others’ behavior toward participants (B = −0.247, P < 0.001), physical illness (B = 0.110, P = 0.011), experiencing a recent traumatic event (B = 0.108, P = 0.015), depression (B = −0.159, P < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (B = −0.187, P < 0.001). Conclusions In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the results indicated that female students who have been prohibited from studying in classes have a high prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation. Having depression and suicidal ideation significantly predicted decreased quality of life among female students.