Intergenerational Differences in Perceptions of Family Functioning, Parenting, and Cyberbullying Victimization in Arab Families

Cyberbullying is a growing concern among adolescents in Gulf societies, where family relationships strongly shape whether young people disclose such experiences to their parents. This study examined differences between parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of family functioning and positive parenting, and how these perceptions relate to cyberbullying victimization, willingness to report incidents, and barriers to disclosure. This study included 351 adolescents aged 13–16 years from public schools in Qatar and 400 parents residing across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Parents underestimated adolescents’ experiences of cyberbullying and overestimated their willingness to report cyberbullying incidents to their parents. Adolescents aged 13–14 years were more likely to report cyberbullying incidents than those aged 15–16 years, and boys reported higher victimization and lower willingness to disclose than girls. Family functioning and positive parenting were both significant predictors of adolescents’ likelihood of reporting cyberbullying incidents to their parents. At the same time, higher family functioning was also linked to lower levels of victimization. In both samples, family functioning showed a stronger and consistent association with fewer reasons for not reporting cyberbullying incidents to parents. In contrast, positive parenting demonstrated a smaller and less consistent effect. These findings highlight the central role of supportive and communicative family dynamics in addressing cyberbullying. In Gulf societies, fostering empathy, trust, and open dialogue between parents and adolescents may help bridge communication gaps, encourage disclosure, and promote safer digital experiences.