Behavioral Deviations among Iranian Students: A Causal Layered Analysis of the Role of Family and School in the Cyberspace Era

Abstract :

In the digital era, behavioral deviations among Iranian students—including addiction to cyberspace, cyber-aggression, academic decline, and reduced real-life interactions—have emerged as a major challenge for the institutions of family and school. This study aimed to conduct a layered analysis of the role of family and school in the emergence and moderation of these deviations, employing the qualitative approach of Causal Layered Analysis (CLA). CLA enables a four-layered exploration of the issue , extending beyond previous superficial analyses to uncover structural, discursive, and mythic roots.

The research was qualitative, based on semi-structured interviews with 32 participants from the city of Hamadan. Purposive sampling was used, emphasizing role diversity, and theoretical saturation served as the criterion for sample adequacy. Data analysis was performed according to the four layers of CLA.

Findings revealed that at the litany layer, public discourse is fraught with anxiety and judgment; at the systemic causes layer, weaknesses in parental supervision and school inefficiency are prominent; at the worldview layer, a conflict between traditional Iranian-Islamic discourse and individualistic digital discourse is evident; and at the myth/metaphor layer, metaphors such as “victim of the digital storm,” “weary guardian” (family), and “isolated fortress” (school) illuminate unconscious beliefs. Three future scenarios were outlined: continued crisis (dark), minimal adaptation (gray), and positive transformation (desirable) through discursive reconstruction and institutional empowerment.

The conclusion emphasizes that strengthening the roles of family and school—via media literacy education, participatory programs, and national policymaking—can reduce deviations  of cyberspace.

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