The level of psychological and social adjustment among adolescents and its relationship to the digital and intellectual gap between generations within the family environment

Abstract

The current study aimed to identify the level of psychological and social adjustment among preparatory school students (early adolescence) and to explore the extent of the intergenerational digital and ideological gap within the family environment from their perspective. It also sought to determine the nature of the correlation between the two variables and to detect statistical differences based on gender (male/female). To achieve these objectives, the study adopted a descriptive-correlational comparative approach. Two standardized scales (Psychological and Social Adjustment Scale & Family Digital and Ideological Gap Scale) designed according to the 5-point Likert scale were administered after verifying their validity and reliability (Cronbach's alpha reached 0.81 and 0.83, respectively). The tools were applied to a representative stratified random sample of (50) male and female students drawn equally from three public preparatory schools. Data were statistically processed via the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) using arithmetic means, standard deviations, the One-Sample T-Test, the Independent Samples T-Test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient.

The results of the first and second hypotheses revealed a statistically significant decrease in the level of psychological and social adjustment among preparatory school students, with an arithmetic mean of (2.38 out of 5), contrasted with a sharp and statistically significant increase in the perceived family digital and ideological gap, which recorded a mean of (4.22). These values exceeded the scale's hypothetical mean of (3.00), reflecting the volume of cognitive distraction and value conflicts experienced by today's youth. Furthermore, the results of the third hypothesis indicated a strong, statistically significant negative (inverse) correlation between psychological and social adjustment and the family digital and ideological gap, with a correlation coefficient of (-0.71). This confirms that as the gap widens and direct human dialogue within the family diminishes, students' psychological and school adjustment deteriorates. The results of the fourth hypothesis also revealed statistically significant differences due to the gender variable at a level below (0.01); differences in adjustment favored male students with a mean of (2.61), while differences in the size of the gap favored female students with a higher mean of (4.43), demonstrating high emotional sensitivity among females and their susceptibility to family parental restrictions. The study concluded with several operational recommendations, most notably activating parental digital guidance channels through parents' councils in the three schools and individualizing gender-responsive psychological counseling within educational institutions