Public administration strategies to mitigate the social phenomenon of student digital addiction: A mixed methods study in Jordan and Kuwait

Abstract

The rapid growth of electronic gaming throughout public societies has outpaced existing policy frameworks, causing concerns over addictive tendencies and their educational impact. This mixed-methods study addresses a public administration issue for Kuwait and Jordan by combining empirical measurement with governance analysis. In a convergent design, the quantitative strand interviewed 280 Jordanian primary school children, in which descriptive statistics indicated high rates of addictive symptoms and significant gender differences (p < 0.001) with no differences based on type of school. The qualitative strand consisted of 24 semi-structured interviews with Ministry of Education and Supreme Council for Planning and Development policymakers in Kuwait, which evoked responses on regulation and engagement strategies. Thematic analysis, as informed by the Advocacy Coalition Framework, yielded four priorities that span reshaping school programs to promote responsible gaming and digital citizenship, creating community-based volunteerism and physical activity, improving parental education and social awareness activities, and shaping interministerial digital regulation teams. The two strands are not set against each other but rather offer complementary evidence on prevalence and policy feasibility in similar environments. By integrating addiction screening with stakeholder-informed advice, the study provides a culturally responsive, evidence-based pathway to preventing primary school gaming addiction. The findings inform national digital policy alignment with school-level changes, detailed resource needs for implementation, and contribution to public administration knowledge in child digital and education public policy.