Family Social Capital Among Adolescents that Are Users and Non-users of Social Media

Abstract

Background: Considering the time spent with family is essential for the growth and development of adolescents, the replacement of these times with using social media can raise questions. Objectives: This study addressed the question of whether there is a difference in family social capital between adolescents that are users and non-users of social media. Methods: Data were collected from 3600 adolescents aged 12 - 19 years in Isfahan, Iran, using a cross-sectional study design with stratified, 2-stage cluster sampling. Participants were recruited from schools and surveyed between January and March 2017. Family social capital was assessed using a researcher-made questionnaire with adequate validity and reliability. The independent 2-sample t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Games-Howell post hoc test were used to analyze the data. Results: More than 76% of the adolescents were social media users. Males reported higher membership rates compared to females. There was a meaningful difference between the mean scores in all dimensions of family social capital, including family interactions, family cohesion, family monitoring, and family conflicts (P < 0.001), and the non-user group scored better in these dimensions. There were gender-based differences between some dimensions of family social capital (P < 0.05). There were no statistically meaningful differences between the frequencies of users in the 3 socioeconomic classes of the study (P > 0.05). Some dimensions of family social capital, including family cohesion and family monitoring, were better in users from higher socioeconomic classes (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results indicate a difference in the family social capital between adolescents that are users and non-users of social media.