Doha, Qatar: Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), a member of the Qatar Foundation has made recommendations to design or modify policies to support parents to overcome the negative aspects of overuse of technology by adolescents in Qatar.
‘Parental perspectives on adolescents’ excessive use of technology in Qatar: challenges and coping strategies’ published in the DIFI journal presents detailed findings on the overuse of technology by adolescents in Qatar.
It not only sheds light on the negative consequences of technology overuse by adolescents in Qatar but also puts forward recommendations for policy modifications to support parents in addressing this growing concern.
The article, which follows a mixed-method approach, explores the experiences of both adolescents and their parents, providing valuable insights into the challenges faced by families in the digital age. The article emphasises the need for a formal, systematic guidance plan to help parents better understand digital technology and its associated risks.
The authors of ‘Parental perspectives on adolescents’ excessive use of technology in Qatar: challenges and coping strategies’ Azza O Abdelmoneium, Heba Al Fara, Fatima Motawaa, Aisha Al Sultan, Sanaa Al Harahsheh, and Ahmed Baghdady have highlighted a study by DIFI, the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), and Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), which conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 42 children aged 10–16 years in Qatar (the study also included an investigation into the views of parents and health, social and education professionals).
The study found that the excessive use of technology among adolescents in Qatar is a major concern for the family, leading to negative consequences such as isolation, poor performance at school, health problems, and social disintegration.
To tackle these challenges, parents are urged to employ coping strategies such as setting controls, building trust, encouraging alternative social interactions, and engaging in open discussions with their children.
The article also highlights the role of school social workers in assisting parents facing challenges related to their children’s problematic behaviour. Moreover, the report recommends that parents be provided with more advanced parental control tools, accompanied by clear explanations in Arabic, to enhance accessibility.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Qatar is urged to take a proactive role by providing links to advanced parental control tools on its website, in addition to promoting cyber-physical activities that combine technology with physical exercise to mitigate negative health effects associated with screen time.
The article also draws attention to the global trend of increasing technology use among youth, citing statistics from a 2022 PEW Research Center study on American teenagers and a PSB Insights survey of young Arabs aged 18–24. These trends indicate the urgent need for comprehensive policies to address the multifaceted impacts of digital technology on the younger generation.
