In «Societal Dimensions».. TRENDS Observatory Discusses Family Disintegration, Emotional Intelligence, and Social Support

 Under the theme «Family and Society in a Changing World»  In the second edition of Societal Dimensions magazine, the TRENDS Observatory, part of the TRENDS Group, examines four interconnected issues affecting the reality of the Arab family. These range from emotional intelligence within the family and its impact on the quality of family relationships and the fostering of communication and understanding among members, to family disintegration, its link to the prevalence of addictive behaviors, and the resulting social and psychological consequences.  The edition – Family and Society in a Changing World: Family Relationships and Quality of Life – also examines how working hours affect relationships between married couples and the challenge of balancing a woman’s role with household responsibilities, identifying these as key challenges facing families amid the demands of modern life. It also explores social support and its role in improving the quality of life for low-income families, highlighting it as a crucial factor in achieving family stability and easing the pressures of daily living.    An Integrated Social System  The edition emphasized that family emotional intelligence is no longer merely an isolated individual skill; it has become an integrated system of emotional and social skills that regulate emotional understanding and foster empathy and positive communication among family members.  It explained that low levels of emotional intelligence are linked to increased communication difficulties, a higher likelihood of family conflict, and reduced relationship satisfaction. In contrast, high levels contribute to enhanced family cohesion and psychological resilience. The edition outlined four key dimensions of family emotional intelligence: mutual emotional awareness, emotional regulation and stress management, comprehension and empathy, and effective communication and relationship management.    Factors Contributing to Addiction  The latest edition of Societal Dimensions magazine warned that family disintegration is no longer limited to separation or the absence of a parent; it has also extended to functional and symbolic emotional disintegration – manifested in poor communication, declining emotional support, a lack of dialogue, and persistent conflict.  It noted that addiction, as a complex psychological and social phenomenon, is shaped by the interplay of individual, familial, and societal factors; specifically, a dysfunctional family environment constitutes a risk factor that increases the likelihood of engaging in addictive behaviors.  The edition examined two primary mechanisms driving an individual toward addiction: withdrawal into a compensatory peer group, and psychological escape combined with maladaptive coping strategies. It called for an integrated prevention strategy encompassing primary prevention—through strengthening the family unit—and secondary prevention, involving early intervention, monitoring, social integration, and rehabilitation.      Working Hours and Family Life  The edition found that the impact of working hours on marital relationships depends not merely on their duration, but on how they are structured and how much they affect work-family balance. It addressed structural and institutional challenges facing working women, including extended working hours and long commutes, multiple responsibilities and conflicting priorities, high childcare costs, and limited flexible work arrangements in certain sectors. It further noted that working hours are not inherently negative; rather, the problem lies in the lack of balance between professional and family demands.    Social Protection System  The edition emphasized that the social support system is no longer limited to providing temporary relief aid; rather, it has become a developmental approach that enhances psychological stability, fosters family cohesion, and improves quality of life.  It outlined four functional dimensions of social support – material and economic support, emotional support, informational support, and evaluative support – noting a gradual shift across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the Arab region from a traditional assistance model to a social protection system rooted in empowerment and capacity building.    Effective Societal Recommendations  Sultan Majid AlAli, General Manager of the TRENDS Observatory for the Study of Social Phenomena and Changes, stated that the second edition of Societal Dimensions magazine presented a set of effective societal recommendations. These include integrating emotional intelligence skills into family counseling and parenting programs, fostering partnerships among educational, social, and healthcare institutions to raise awareness of emotional skills, and developing community initiatives that support high-quality dialogue and communication within the family.    An Integrated Preventive Strategy  Al Ali noted that the edition also recommended adopting an integrated preventive strategy to curb family breakdown and addiction and developing flexible work policies that support a balance between professional and family life. Furthermore, it called for shifting social support programs from temporary assistance to empowerment and sustainability, alongside developing unified databases, adopting multidimensional poverty indicators, and conducting periodic assessments of social support programs to measure their impact on improving quality of life.  He explained that the edition concluded that fostering emotional intelligence within the family is a pivotal step toward building families that are more cohesive and better able to adapt to future demands, thereby contributing to psychological and social security and achieving societal sustainability.    مجلة أبعاد مجتمعية_العدد الثاني