Parental Perceived Usefulness on a School-Integrated App to Prevent Bullying and Eating Disorders

Abstract

The prevalence of bullying and eating disorders among adolescents is alarmingly high. In response to these issues, a mobile application called “Searching Help” was designed to be incorporated into school environments. This study aims to understand parents’ views on a school-integrated app designed to prevent bullying and eating disorders. Additionally, it sought to identify potential gender differences in these perceptions. Utilizing a retrospective research approach, we gathered insights from 201 parents of Spanish adolescents aged 12–18. The findings highlighted that a school-integrated app to prevent bullying and eating disorders was positively received by parents. Regarding gender, mothers were more aware of eating disorders and had greater concerns about unauthorized data access compared to fathers. Conversely, fathers were more optimistic about the potential of the app in creating a secure school environment against bullying and eating disorders. Notably, it was observed that although parents had a decent understanding of the problems associated with bullying and eating disorders independently, their knowledge of the technological solutions available to address these issues was considerably limited. In conclusion, this research confirms the gender-specific variations in parents’ attitudes and views toward technology-based solutions in schools and emphasizes a need for enhanced awareness initiatives to familiarize parents with relevant technological solutions for their children’s safety.

Keywords

• educational technology
• parental perceptions
• bullying
• eating disorders