A Comparative Study of Virtual Friendship in Children's and Young Adult Literature in the Digital Age

The present study aimed to comparatively investigate the discourse of virtual friendship in children's and young adult literature across three cultural contexts—Iran, Belgium (Flanders), and Sweden—based on digital identity and virtual attachment theories, with an emphasis on pedagogical applications in smart schools. Employing a qualitative critical discourse analysis with a cultural-psychological approach, the study examined fifteen purposefully selected stories from the three cultural clusters, chosen based on literary merit, cultural diversity, and alignment with digital education components. Data were analyzed using Fairclough's three-dimensional framework (text, discursive practice, and socio-cultural context) and theory-driven thematic coding across four main dimensions: digital identity, virtual attachment, conflict and resolution patterns, and the role of educational and social institutions. Findings revealed that Swedish stories achieved the highest score (۳۶.۶ out of ۴۰) at the "Very High" level, Flemish stories scored ۳۳.۰ at the "High" level, and Iranian stories scored ۱۳.۶ at the "Low" level of virtual friendship discourse representation. Swedish and Flemish stories predominantly represented fluid and multiple identities, secure attachment, transformative conflict resolution patterns, and active institutional mediation, whereas Iranian stories emphasized fixed and performative identities, anxious and avoidant attachment, rupture and termination patterns, and informal/reactive institutional roles. ANOVA confirmed significant differences among the three cultural clusters (F(۲,۱۲) = ۱۸.۶۳, p < ۰.۰۰۱). The strong positive correlation between digital identity and virtual attachment scores (r = +۰.۷۲, p < ۰.۰۱) indicates the discursive interconnection of these two constructs. Pedagogical implications include designing literature-based digital literacy curricula, teacher education in critical discourse analysis, and redesigning smart schools as empowering spaces for responsible digital identity formation and secure virtual attachment. Children's and young adult literature, with its capacity to represent diverse discursive patterns, can play a key role in educating responsible digital citizens who can manage their virtual relationships with authenticity, emotional security, and resilience.

کلیدواژه ها:

Virtual Friendship ، Children's and Young Adult Literature ، Digital Identity ، Virtual Attachment ، Critical Discourse Analysis ، Smart Schools ، Multicultural Educational System