Motivations to Use Mobile Virtual Social Networks and Their Related Social Capital Among College Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Due to the increasing use of virtual networks and, on the other hand, ambiguities towards the positive or negative effects of these networks on the level of social interaction and social capital of users. Objectives: This study aims to determine the relationship between the motivation to use virtual mobile networks and social capital among students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 350 students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in 2017. The participants were selected by a stratified sampling method with the proportional assignment. Data gathering tools included the demographic form and questionnaires of motivation to use virtual networks and social capital. The subjects completed the tools through the self-reporting. The obtained data were analyzed by the Pearson correlation test and linear regression in SPSS V. 24. Results: Most students (42.6%) used virtual networks 3-5 hours per day. Entertainment and pastime were the most reported reasons and motivations for using the virtual networks among students with 59% and 58.8% of the maximum achievable score, respectively. There was a positive and significant correlation between bonding and bridging social capital and the rate of virtual network usage. Among the related factors studied, gender, nativeness, self-disclosure, immersion in the media, pastime, information search, individual status, maintaining relationships, entertainment, and linking social capital have significant roles in explaining the variance of the motivation to use the virtual network among the students (P<0.05). Conclusion: Further research is needed in this area because students increasingly use virtual networks and they are unfamiliar with other aspects of these networks affecting their health and life. University counseling centers should provide the required training based on the facts for the students about the positive and negative consequences of using virtual networks.