Problematic internet use in adolescents and parents: a cross-generational comparison of independent samples

The growing integration of digital technology into daily life has increased concerns about its impact on adolescents’ and parents’ well-being. This cross-sectional study used dual-informant data from 399 Arab parents and 220 Arab adolescents in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to examine associations between parental PIU, family functioning, and adolescent PIU, and to assess differences in symptom patterns across parent and adolescent groups. Results revealed PIU prevalence, with adolescents self-classifying as dependent more frequently (45.9%) than parents (33.3%). At the symptom level, preoccupation with the internet, tolerance to internet use, and loss of control were the most consistently endorsed criteria across groups, although perspective-dependent differences emerged: adolescents reported higher withdrawal and loss of control, whereas parents emphasised preoccupation and perceived greater tolerance in their adolescents. Higher parental PIU and poorer family functioning were significantly associated with greater adolescent PIU, explaining 40.3% and 34.6% of the variance in adolescent- and parent-reported models, respectively. Consistent patterns of PIU were observed across parent and adolescent groups, highlighting the importance of prevention and intervention efforts to support digital well-being in collectivist Arab contexts.