A Phenomenological Study of School Counselors’ Lived Experiences of Socio-Cultural Harms of Virtual Space among Upper Secondary Students
Keywords:
Socio-cultural harms, virtual space, phenomenology, lived experience, school counselorsAbstract
This study aimed to explore and interpret the lived experiences of upper secondary school counselors regarding socio-cultural harms arising from students’ engagement with virtual space. A qualitative research design employing thematic analysis was used. Participants consisted of 15 female school counselors working in upper secondary schools in Rumeshkan County during the 2024–2025 academic year, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Attride-Stirling’s thematic network approach. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability criteria. Data analysis yielded 300 basic themes, 66 organizing themes, and 13 global themes. The global themes included negative impacts on identity and culture, addiction and dependency on virtual space, low-quality digital content, reduced academic motivation, psychological and social problems, changes in social relationships, weakened student–teacher communication skills, diminished self-confidence, sleep and concentration disturbances, negative social behaviors, erosion of respect and social norms, tension between freedom and control, and the prevalence of superficial online relationships. The findings indicate that socio-cultural harms of virtual space constitute a multidimensional and interconnected phenomenon that affects students’ identity formation, psychological well-being, academic engagement, and social interactions, underscoring the need for integrated educational, counseling, and family-based interventions.
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