A critical scoping analysis of digital media literacy research in selected Arab and international journals (2016–2025)

Introduction: Digital media literacy has emerged as a critical field of inquiry in response to the rapid expansion of digital communication technologies and social media platforms. Despite the growing importance of this field, scholarly production remains uneven across different academic contexts. This study aims to provide an in-depth analytical examination of contemporary trends in digital media literacy research by analyzing publications in selected Arab and international peer-reviewed journals. Methods: The study adopts a secondary data analysis approach to systematically examine published research in four peer-reviewed journals-two Arab and two international-over a 10-year period from 2016 to mid-2025. This method, widely recognized in qualitative research, was employed to analyze the theoretical orientations, methodological approaches, and thematic patterns of the selected studies, as well as to identify existing research gaps within the field. Results: The findings reveal a clear imbalance in scholarly contributions, with international journals accounting for 66.5% of the analyzed studies compared to 33.5% in Arab journals. The majority of the reviewed research focused on educational and media-related topics (70%), while other themes received comparatively limited attention. Furthermore, the analysis shows that approximately 73% of the studies lacked a clearly articulated theoretical framework, which limits the development of a solid epistemological and philosophical foundation for the field. The results also indicate that research in digital media literacy remains predominantly descriptive, with limited methodological diversity. Discussion: The findings highlight the need to strengthen theoretical and methodological rigor in digital media literacy research, particularly within the Arab academic context. Developing more diversified theoretical frameworks that incorporate broader social systems is essential for advancing the field. The study also underscores the importance of employing more varied research methodologies, including qualitative and experimental approaches.