Doha International Family Institute Journal - Current Issue

Despite decades of interdisciplinary research affirming that the family is fundamental unit of society, a gap persists in how this knowledge is communicated, particularly to younger generations. This article identifies this gap as stemming from an absence of an educational framework that translates family research into critical skills and civic competencies, enabling individuals to understand, discern, and articulate the family's enduring roles in both individual and public life. Expanding traditional family literacy beyond learning in the family, the article introduces a broader conception encompassing education about the family. It presents a new framework that establishes its conceptual and methodological approach and identifies five guiding principles. The discussion highlights key implications of family literacy and illiteracy for public understanding, family formation, intergenerational solidarity, and the recognition of the family as the foundation of society. The article concludes with recommendations for translating these insights into educational practice, equipping younger generations with the knowledge and skills needed to engage effectively in public discourse and contribute to the creation of strong, sustainable families.

Studies have highlighted the importance of work-life balance (WLB) and well-being across various fields. Some studies have highlighted that a good WLB is crucial for social, psychological, and physical well-being. However, few studies have focused on the experience of welfare workers’ WLB and wellbeing in Qatar. This study, using exploratory qualitative research probes, yields in-depth responses about the experience of welfare workers’ WLB and well-being in Qatar. The welfare workers who participated in the research possess a wealth of experience in the fields of social work, psychology, and sociology, with backgrounds in schools, research, mental health, behavioral services, and women’s and children’s services. The researcher held semi-structured face-to-face and virtual interviews with these 11 participants by open-ended questions, which they responded to in their own words. The researcher used thematic analysis to analyze the data as qualitative research. Ethics approval was granted by the host institution and the study complied with the Code of Human Research Ethics (BPS) 2021. Based on data analysis, the final three superordinate themes were identified: Demands of work, elements that contribute positively, and challenges to well-being. The study revealed that the demands of work influence the achievement of WLB and the well-being of welfare workers. Some elements contribute positively to achieving WLB and well-being among the welfare workers, such as spirituality, social support, satisfaction with work, and participating in some activities. The results show that welfare workers struggle to maintain psychological well-being and health. The findings suggest how improvements could be made to their field for the future, specifically in Qatar. Moreover, the researcher would like to encourage research colleagues to conduct intervention studies and programs in which the importance of social, psychological, and physical working conditions, WLB, and achieving well-being are highlighted.

This article examines the multidimensional risks associated with digital gaming environments for children and adolescents, including psychological, social, physical, and data-related vulnerabilities. Through case studies of Fire Fairy, Pokémon Go, Panda, and Roblox, the analysis highlights how platform-specific features, such as augmented reality, user-generated content, and challenge-based interactions, can amplify exposure to harm. Theoretical frameworks, including Social Learning Theory, Routine Activity Theory, and the Online Disinhibition Effect, are applied to interpret behavioural patterns and risk dynamics. The article reviews global regulatory responses, noting convergence around key pillars: consumer protection, content moderation, and data governance. It then assesses Qatar’s policy landscape, recognizing noteworthy progress in cybersecurity, data privacy, and youth-focused initiatives, while identifying areas for further development. Key recommendations include restricting access to high-risk platforms without robust safety measures, enhancing age verification systems, strengthening content moderation, promoting digital literacy, and fostering international cooperation. The article concludes that a balanced approach, combining regulatory safeguards with educational empowerment, is essential to ensure safe and enriching digital experiences for young users.

الملخص

يتناول هذا المقال العلمي المخاطر المتعددة الأبعاد التي تنطوي عليها بيئات الألعاب الرقمية بالنسبة للأطفال والمراهقين، وتشمل الجوانب النفسية والاجتماعية والجسدية، إضافةً إلى ما يتعلق بالبيانات الشخصية. ومن خلال تحليل حالات مثل فاير فيري، بوكيمون غو، باندا، روبلوكس، تُظهر الدراسة كيف أن خصائص المنصات المختلفة مثل، الواقع الافتراضي، والمحتوى المُنتج من قبل المستخدمين، والتحديات الرقمية، تُسهم في تضخيم التعرض للمخاطر، لا سيما في ظل ضعف آليات الحماية والمراقبة. وتُفسَّر هذه الأنماط السلوكية من خلال أطر نظرية مثل نظرية التعلم الاجتماعي، ونظرية النشاط الروتيني، وتأثير التخفيف من الضوابط في البيئة الذعر التكنولوجي”. يستعرض المقال الاستجابات » و » ثقافة التحدي « الرقمية، إلى جانب مفاهيم ثقافية مثل التنظيمية العالمية، والتي تتقارب حول ثلاثة محاور رئيسية: حماية المستهلك، والشفافية، وحوكمة البيانات. كما تُقيّم السياسات الوطنية في دولة قطر، مشيرة إلى التقدم المحرز في استراتيجيات الأمن السيبراني، وتشريعات حماية البيانات، والمبادرات الموجهة للشباب، مع تحديد مجالات يمكن تطويرها بشكل أكبر. وتشمل وفرض قيود عليها ما لم تلتزم بمعايير » روبلوكس « التوصيات الرئيسية: حظر المنصات عالية الخطورة مثل السلامة الرقمية، تعزيز أنظمة التحقق من العمر، تطوير أدوات المراقبة الذكية، وتوسيع برامج التوعية الرقمية. كما تدعو الدراسة إلى التعاون الدولي، وتحديث التشريعات الوطنية، ودعم البدائل التعليمية الآمنة، بما يضمن بيئة رقمية آمنة ومثرية للأطفال والمراهقين تجمع بين الحماية والتنمية.

While marriage and divorce in Qatar have been widely examined, limited scholarly attention has been directed toward the challenges and barriers faced by Qataris with post-consummation divorce experience (QWDE) in relation to remarriage. This qualitative study addresses that gap by exploring how QWDE perceive and navigate the prospect of remarriage. Grounded in a social constructivist approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Qatari men and women representing diverse marital and parental statuses. Through thematic analysis, the findings reveal gendered societal judgments toward remarriage, prevailing reluctance from families and potential spouses to accept divorcees as partners, emotional scars from previous marriages, obstructive attitudes from ex-spouses, concerns about children’s well-being, and legal challenges related to housing and potential loss of child custody. This complex interplay of sociocultural, personal, and legal factors underscores the need for contextually grounded support systems that empower QWDE considering remarriage, aligning with national efforts to strengthen family and marriage institutions in Qatar.

Research on women’s singlehood in Saudi society has often been examined through the lens of “reasons for spinsterhood,” which tends to neglect the psychological and social dimensions of well-being. This study broadens the scope by examining the associations between insecure attachment, mental health, and life satisfaction, with age as a moderator, among never-married Saudi women, while also considering key sociodemographic factors. Using a cross-sectional design, standardized measures were administered to a sample of 504 never-married Saudi women aged 30 and above. The results indicate that women with lower levels of insecure attachment reported better mental health and greater life satisfaction; however, these effects were modest compared with the influence of key sociodemographic factors. Although age appeared to moderate the association between insecure attachment and life satisfaction, this finding should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited age range in the sample. Overall, the results indicate that while insecure attachment contributes to well-being, demographic factors, particularly education, income, and age, are more central predictors of life satisfaction among never-married women. The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of single women’s well-being, which cannot be reduced solely to marital status or attachment insecurity. The study makes a novel contribution by situating singlehood within Saudi Arabia’s ongoing family and social transformation under Vision 2030, where women are increasingly encouraged to pursue education, careers, and social participation. The findings have relevance for broader discussions on never-married women in the Arab and MENA region and invite further scholarly and public debate on singlehood as a lived experience rather than a social problem. Implications for practice are discussed.