Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10

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A Case Study on National Branding via X: The Role of Government Public Relation Accounts in Shaping Saudi Youth Attitudes Towards Saudi Vision 2030
(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Saad, Albaqami; Marcus, Messner
This study investigated how Saudi government public relations accounts on X influence Saudi youth perceptions of Vision 2030 as a national brand. It aimed to determine whether exposure to official digital communication strengthens awareness, national pride, and engagement among youth audiences, and to evaluate how message alignment, interactivity, and credibility shape their perceptions and participation. The research relied on two theoretical frameworks. Agenda Setting Theory explains how repeated exposure to official content influences public priorities, while Nation Branding Theory examines how state-led communication shapes national identity, legitimacy, and public attachment to national transformation initiatives. A mixed methods sequential explanatory design supported the achievement of the study objectives. The quantitative phase used an online survey completed by 400 Saudi youth aged 18 to 35 from both local universities and Saudi students studying in the United States. The qualitative phase included semi-structured interviews with ten participants selected from the survey pool to provide deeper interpretations of the patterns identified in the quantitative results. Quantitative analysis explored relationships between exposure to government communication, perception, engagement behavior, and national pride. Qualitative analysis used a thematic approach to identify recurring meanings that illustrated how youth interpret and experience Vision 2030 communication on X. The results showed that youth hold strong awareness of Vision 2030, positive perceptions of government communication efforts, and a high sense of national pride associated with official messaging. Message alignment with youth aspirations played an important role in shaping perception and emotional connection. Youth who interacted more frequently with official content tended to express stronger attachment and identification with Vision 2030. Differences appeared between participants inside Saudi Arabia and those living abroad, with domestic students showing higher levels of behavioral engagement and international students demonstrating wider interpretive diversity. The qualitative findings identified four core themes. Empowerment, national pride, digital participation, and cautious trust highlighted how youth view Vision 2030 as both a personal and collective reform initiative that connects individual ambition with national progress. The integration of both data strands confirmed strong convergence between numerical and narrative evidence. The findings showed that youth feel emotionally connected to Vision 2030 but may limit behavioral participation because of cultural expectations and limited opportunities for dialogic engagement on official platforms. Most of the proposed hypotheses were supported, affirming that government digital communication plays an important role in enhancing awareness, national unity, and emotional identification among Saudi youth. The study offers practical implications for improving government communication strategies. Authentic content, clear alignment with youth values, and interactive communication practices help build trust and increase participation. A communication style that reflects local cultural expectations while also appealing to global digital norms strengthens credibility and inclusivity. Several limitations were recognized. The sample does not represent all Saudi youth, the focus on a single platform excludes behavior on other digital channels, and the cross-sectional design captures perceptions from only one moment in Vision 2030’s timeline. Future research should use longitudinal and cross-platform designs to examine how youth engagement evolves as national communication strategies expand. This study contributes to communication and nation branding scholarship by demonstrating how digital government communication shapes public perception, emotional identity, and national unity. It presents a Saudi case model that shows how agenda-setting and nation-branding principles interact within a digital governance environment and provides evidence-based recommendations to enhance message resonance, transparency, and interactivity to support greater youth participation in Vision 2030.
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Framing the Campaign: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Issue Ownership in the 2024 Campaign Commercials of Trump and Harris on X
(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alshahrani, Ahmed; Stockwell, Peter
The prevalent consumption of social media and the new era of complex, multilayered political discourses that involve many implicit tactics on social media platforms are worth examining to improve the knowledge about this field. The aim of this study was to examine and explore the manifestation of issue ownership in the discourse of Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’ campaign commercials during the 2024 US presidential elections. A mixed-method approach was used to select and analyse all the campaign commercials related to the 2024 US presidential elections, which were obtained from the official library (The Living Room Candidate), to identify every political aspect or concept that may reveal the strategised messaging that was intended to claim ownership over certain issues through the use of theories and concepts such as agenda setting, framing, priming, and a multimodal discourse analysis (MDA). The distribution and frequency of the emphasised issues in each commercial was measured to produce a hieratical listing of the issues that received the most emphasis to strengthen the study’s approach quantitatively. The quantitative findings showed that Donald Trump focused on Republican-oriented ownership issues, such as immigration, whereas Kamala Harris focused on several Democratic issues like reproductive rights while still trespassing on the territories of Republican issues. The qualitative analysis demonstrated the distinct implementation of agenda setting, framing, priming, and multimodality; while Donald Trump was found to be manipulating these strategies negatively, Kamala Harris used these strategies to communicate more positively. This study contributes to this field of interest by providing insights into the complex and ever-changing world of political campaigns and communications.
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The Role of Natural Language Processing in Early Detection of Mental Health Conditions from Social Media Data
(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alasery, Aidh; Lauria, Stasha
Mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia are increasing rapidly and affect a significant proportion of the global population. As a result, the affected patients suffer negative consequences such as high financial costs of treatment and a poor quality of life. The reliance on traditional clinical methods to diagnose mental health problems further leads to delays in identifying the disorders among affected individuals. An emerging approach to address the delay is the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) through natural language processing (NLP) models, which can evaluate real-time social media content to identify individuals at risk of mental health problems. The current research sought to identify how NLP techniques could be adopted for the early diagnosis and detection of mental health illnesses from social media interactions. Data was collected using the scoping review method, where 20 qualitative peer reviewed journal articles were identified and assessed. To evaluate the findings obtained in the study, thematic analysis was adopted. The generated insights indicated that using deep learning techniques, including recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and classification machine learning methods, such as decision trees (DT), facilitated the detection of mental health illnesses. Further insights revealed that techniques such as data anonymisation were effective for privacy preservation, and explainable AI (XAI) were useful in upholding the privacy of user data during the data collection phase. Additionally, various advantages of NLP models were elaborated, including accuracy, generalisability, and fairness. However, challenges such as risks of bias and breaching the privacy of user data were also identified. In future work, there is a need to investigate how the NLP models can be enhanced further by integrating more technologies, such as big data.
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TRUST IN EPHEMERAL CONTENT IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: A MIXED-METHOD APPROACH EXAMINING ONLINE USERS’ PRIVACY CONCERNS IN THE CASE OF SNAPCHAT
(Saudi Digital Library, 2025-05-02) Alghamdi, Ream; STANFILL, MEL
Social media platforms have transformed online interactions, and they continue to provide individuals with novel means of connecting, sharing, and interacting with various forms of content. Yet, with the growing concerns regarding the privacy of data, security, and trust among users, especially with ephemeral content, it has become increasingly important to understand the relationship between data protection legislation, cultural factors, and user trust in the context of Snapchat's ephemeral messaging. This research focuses on Saudi Arabian and United States university students, examining their attitudes toward privacy threats, experiences with Snapchat's privacy settings, and the ways in which they mitigate data security concerns. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates survey findings and interview data to provide an in-depth analysis of privacy concerns, self-disclosure behaviors, and cultural differences in digital trust. The study reveals how, while Snapchat's disappearing messages give the impression of better privacy, there is little awareness among its users about the app's data retention policies, with possible security risks. The report also determines how the evolving data protection legislation in Saudi Arabia, and in particular the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), affect user trust and compliance attitudes. By comparing Saudi and American perceptions, the study emphasizes the role of cultural norms in regulating privacy and online communication. The study contributes to digital privacy's growing body of literature by offering implications for policymakers, social media companies, and digital literacy activists, emphasizing the need for transparent privacy policies and educational campaigns. The results shape forthcoming discussions on the equilibrium between regulatory compliance and user anticipation in the fast-changing landscape of social media.
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The Impact of Organizational Leaders' Personal Branding in Today’s Digital Age
(University of Essexx, 2024) Alghamdi, Enas; Song, Hungan
Organisational leaders are significant stakeholders in the current world, and this research focuses on the usefulness of personal branding in career progression and job security. Based on three exploratory studies from a total of four empirical research, this study advances the understanding of personal branding as a promotional concept practised through identifying oneself, networking, and creating an online profile, as well as integrating with organisational culture. This research reveals that a strong and enhanced personal brand beneficially impacts the employer brand perception and recruitment and is beneficial in one’s career path. For instance, the use of LinkedIn or other social networks can also be viewed as a way to manage personal branding and gain more visibility to create new opportunities on the spot, which is an efficient way of managing personal branding. Moreover, consistent personal branding efforts yield tangible organisational and personal advantages such as career advancement, job security, and acknowledgement. Strategic personal branding recommendations for organisational leaders include personalised branding goals, engagement in the effective use of social media, integration and communication of personal branding goals with the organisational goals, and lastly, personal branding as a lifelong learning process. This paper establishes that personal branding helps in managing employees and in creating affinity for organisational values within an overall corporate strategy in the modern work environment. The study findings also underscore the importance of incorporating personal branding with company goals and objectives to improve leadership performance while assisting with the issues of talent acquisition and organisational integration.
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Pedagogy Potential of Social Media in Saudi Arabia Curricula: students' and teachers' perceptions and practices
(University of Limerick, 2024-05) Alhassan, Yousef; Murray, Liam; Giralt, Marta
Social media tools are commonly used in everyday life in the 21st century. Social media has influenced many areas in our lives including education. Social media is widely researched in the area of English as a foreign language (EFL). Research into social media as a supportive tool in the curriculum has been reported with different perspectives. Some scholars (Mohammed et al., 2023; Lashari et al., 2023) have found it useful in improving the performance of English language learners and others have indicated (Nkhi, 2023; Asafo-Adjei, 2023) negative impacts of integrating social media in EFL classrooms. The present doctoral research aimed at exploring the perceptions and practices of teachers and students at 3rd level education towards using social media as a tool in curricula in Saudi Arabia. This research targeted learners and teachers of EFL in Saudi Arabia. The study investigation included the student use of social media, the student’s perceptions of social media, teacher’s use of social media and the teacher’s perceptions surrounding social media. Moreover, this research suggested several practices that can be useful for teachers and learners of EFL. A mixed method approach of quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted to collect the data for the study using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews for the two targeted groups, teachers and students. These tools are used to explore the perceptions and attitudes of the participants towards using social media as a tool in EFL classrooms. The data were analysed using statistical analysis for the quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Overall, the results of the research indicated that using social media in curricula appeal to both teachers and students with concerns regarding distraction that social media may cause and the possibility to find appropriate approaches that can be adopted to implement social media in EFL classrooms.
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An Investigation of Codeswitching in the Discourse of Saudi Social Media Influencers
(University of Nottingham, 2024-09) Alhelail, Ghadah Abdulrahman; Mullany, Louise
The pervasive use of social media and the rise of social media influencers worldwide made their discourse worth examining. This study aimed to investigate codeswitching in the discourse of Saudi social media influencers. Using mixed-method approaches, a sample from an interview with three famous Saudi influencers was analysed to reveal codeswitching frequency, types, functions, motives, and role in identity construction. The quantitative findings indicate that the switching frequency is high, the most frequent type is intra-sentential codeswitching, and the Arabic coverage was significantly higher than English in their speech. The qualitative results reveal that codeswitching as a marked choice is used to express multilayered identities, assist meaning construction, avoid conflicts, express emotions, and appear sophisticated. Codeswitching may also be an unmarked choice used naturally in certain situations and triggered by certain domain terminologies. This study provides insight into codeswitching in a new emerging social context.
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The use of social media and its impact on the mental health of the Saudi Arabian community.
(Queen’s University Belfast, 2024-09-08) Almabdi, Adel; McLaughlin, Derek
Abstract Background: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is a nation with unique cultural, geographical, and economic features, predominantly characterized by a young Muslim population. In recent years, significant modernization and urbanization have influenced Saudis' lifestyles and mental health. Cultural attitudes and economic factors shape these mental health issues, with social media playing a pivotal role in societal interactions and mental well-being. Objectives: This study systematically reviewed the current peer-reviewed literature on the impact of social media on the mental health of the Saudi Arabian community. The goal was to synthesize key findings on both the positive and negative effects of social media use, offering insights for individuals, educators, policymakers, and healthcare systems to encourage healthier technology usage and enhance mental healthcare access. Search Strategy: A systematic search was conducted using keywords and Boolean operators across MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases to identify relevant peer-reviewed literature. The inclusion criteria focused on articles published between 2018 and 2024, written in English, and conducted in Saudi Arabia, specifically cross-sectional studies. Results: Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were critically assessed using the appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies (AXIS). The studies were generally of acceptable quality, with well-defined research questions and appropriate methodologies. The findings were categorized into seven themes: prevalence of mental health issues, social media addiction and psychological distress, gender disparities, impact on adolescents, misinformation, the complex relationship with well-being, and family dynamics within the cultural context. Conclusion: This review highlighted that while social media fosters communication and information sharing, it also correlates with addiction, psychological distress, and misinformation. High rates of mental health issues, particularly among healthcare professionals and adolescents, underscore the need for targeted interventions and policies. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and interdisciplinary collaborations to effectively understand and address these impacts.
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FACTORS INFLUENCING INFORMATION ADOPTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA: THE CASE OF HEALTH INFORMATION IN SAUDI ARABIA.
(Aston University, 2024) Almalki, Saad; Uren, Victoria; Hull, Matthew
The current study aimed to further understand attitudes toward source credibility by studying it in the context of social media use as a health information source among social media users in Saudi Arabia. During COVID-19 outbreak, the social isolation that people experienced led to social media being widely used as a medium for disseminating health information, and this has now become increasingly prevalent. Specifically, this study set out to identify which factors influenced the positive adoption of health information from social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopted a mixed methods design through using an online questionnaire, incorporating a novel vignette design, to gather quantitative data, and follow- up interviews for collecting qualitative data. The designed vignettes were a set of verified and unverified profiles on social media belonging to medical and non-medical experts. Based on collecting data from 397 participants to the questionnaire and 23 interviews, interesting findings were revealed. The study provides empirical support for the influence of source characteristics as heuristics to guide information adoption. Characteristics including sources’ knowledge, qualifications, verification mark and similarity between receiver and sender influence people’s attitudes towards source credibility. Furthermore, the findings confirmed that characteristics of information/content have a significant influence on participants' use of social media platforms as a health information sources. Timeliness, completeness, relevance and accuracy, are confirmed to influence people's attitudes toward adopting health information from social media platforms. It is believed that the current study is one of the few empirical studies to have examined the factors influencing the adoption of social media information by implementing a novel vignette design within a questionnaire. Hence, this study might make a methodological contribution with regard to using vignette design within quantitative methods. Furthermore, there also practical contributions can be made to policy makers with regard to employing social media to convey health and other types of information to the Saudi population..
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Faculty Members’ Digital and Instructional Practices in E-learning Programs at Saudi Universities
(University of Idaho, 2023-02-10) Alhasaf, Ibtisam; Dixon, Raymond A.
With the increasing popularity of e-learning programs, educational stakeholders are attempting to promote the successful implementation of interactive e-learning programs. Scholars have long tried to understand how faculty members perceive and practice e-learning instruction in Saudi universities, where e-learning is a relatively new concept. A few studies conducted in different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have investigated faculty members' perceptions. This study added to the limited body of knowledge on Saudi faculty members' perceptions of their practices in e-learning programs. This qualitative study recruited 17 instructors from six universities in Saudi Arabia using a generic qualitative inquiry approach. Semi-structured interviews with the participants were used to collect data. Findings indicated that the participating faculty members have a variety of practices and experiences regarding implementing an interactive e-learning program. These experiences were conceptualized in four main themes: interactive activities, assessment, multimedia learning material, and students' acceptance of e-learning programs. The present study clarified that instructors use various interactive activities, tests and quizzes for assessment, and videos as the main multimedia tool in their online classes. The results elucidate that students are increasingly accepting e-learning environments and the technologies used in their learning space. The study also throws light on factors affecting the successful implementation of the interactive e-learning program. Exploring these competencies and practices can provide instructional designers, faculty members, directors of online education, and other relevant stakeholders with the present picture of faculty techniques and virtual ability to teach in dynamic online spaces in Saudi universities.
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