ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Janalizadeh Choob Basti   H. (* )
Moradi   F. (1 )






(* ) Social Sciences Department, Human &Social Sciences Faculty, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran
(1 ) Social Sciences Department, Human &Social Sciences Faculty, Mazandaran University, Babolsar , Iran

Correspondence

Article History

Received:  February  19, 2014
Accepted:  May 23, 2014
ePublished:  July 20, 2014

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-3]. Diseases and death are consequences of lack of positive human social interactions [4]. It is said that social interactions are crucial and facilitate human beings’ social behaviors and attitudes [5-11]. Social capital combines mental and objective dimensions of the social reality and refers to (mental and objective) social resources, which might be reliable in purposeful actions [1, 7].

There are few independent and direct studies regarding veterans’ social capital [1, 12-15]. … [16] According to the studies, national and global social capital decrease, increasingly. Results of studies show that social capital leads to facilitate human health [17-20], scientific achievement [21-24], vitality [25], political [26], and economic development [27, 28], and reduction in social damages and deviances [29, 30].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of educational and income level on veterans’ social capital.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study.

5233 veterans (with exact documented injury percentage recorded at Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs of Amol city (Iran)), were studied in 2011.

The sample size was estimated 520 persons, using Cochran formula. Samples were selected using simple random sampling method. 522 persons completed the questionnaire.

Data were collected, using 24-question researcher-made questionnaire. 6 questions assessed demographic information including age, educational level, type of injury, injury percentage, number of children, and income level; 15 questions assessed mental social capital, and 3 questions assessed objective social capital. Through 15 questions on mental social capital, five-point Likert scale including ‘Highly in agreement’ (5 scores); ‘agree’ (4 scores); ‘without any agreement or disagreement’ (3 scores); ‘disagree’ (2 scores); ‘highly in disagreement’ (1 score) was used to assess the scores. Through 3 questions concerning objective social capital, numbers of reliable ‘relatives’, ‘friends’, and ‘neighbors’ were asked and recorded. These numbers were analyzed via categorization in ‘zero persons’, ‘one person’, and ‘some persons’. Since the structure of the desired questionnaire has based on the conceptual framework of the study, its structural validity was assessed and confirmed to evaluate social capital of the veterans based on theoretical and practical definitions. ‘Respect’ and ‘trust’ norms were assessed as the mental social capital components and the observance of these norms in the family, Martyrs Foundation Organization (institutional), and society (population) was considered. Veterans’ enjoyment of reliable relatives, friends, and neighbors was assessed as objective social capital index. Using Cronbach’s Alpha, reliabilities of the veterans’ mental social capital scale were computed 0.87, 0.85, and 0.78 in family, Martyrs Foundation Organization, and society, respectively. Data were analyzed, using descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and One-way ANOVA, and mean confidence interval or distant estimating inferential tests by SPSS 16 software.

All samples were male. The mean age of participants was 47.3±5.0years. The mean children number was 2.7±1.17persons. The mean injury percentage was28.30±1.30%. 304 (55.1%), 238 (43.1%), and 10 (1.8%) samples were with 5% to 25%, 30% to 67%, and 70% injury, respectively. 168 (30.4%), 71 (12.9%), and 313 (56.7%) persons had psychic and nerves injuries, chemical injuries, and compound injuries, respectively. 475 persons (86.1%) had a high school diploma or had a lower educational level. 77 persons (13.9%) had an advanced diploma or a higher educational level. Average expense cover by the veterans’ monthly income was45.13±2.19%. Expense cover levels by monthly income of 6.0%, 75.0%, 17.9%, and 1.1% of the veterans were zero, 1 to 60%, 61 to 90%, and 91 to 100%, respectively. 439 studied veterans (79.5%) evaluated behavior of their own family with themselves respectful. 431persons (78.1%) believed in their own family. 304 study veterans (55.1%) evaluated attitude of Martyrs Foundation of Amol towards themselves respectful. 265 persons (48.0%) fully believed in Martyrs Foundation of Amol. 214 study veterans (38.8%) evaluated society attitude towards themselves respectful. 103 persons (18.7%) believed in society. Average number of reliable neighbors was 4.62±9.17persons (with confidence coefficient 95%, 3.86 to 5.39 persons). 193 veterans (35.0%) had 5 or more reliable neighbors, and 77 persons (13.9%) had no reliable neighbor. Average number of reliable friends was 6.43±1.29persons (with confidence coefficient 95%, 5.35 to 7.52 persons). 191 veterans (34.6%) had 6 so close friends or more, and 60 persons (10.9%) had no close friend. Average number of reliable relatives was 16.35±3.16persons (with confidence coefficient 95%, 13.70 to 19.00 persons). 259 understudied veterans (46.9%) had 7 or more reliable relatives, and 50 persons (9.1%) did not have any reliable relatives. The educational level variable had significant effect only on the number of reliable friends. The income variable had significant effect only on number of reliable neighbors. Effect of ‘educational level’ was significant only on the social capital including ‘respect’ and ‘trust’ on society. Effect of ‘income leval’ on gaining the social capital in all three ‘family’, ‘Martyrs Foundation’, and ‘society’ domains was significant (Table 1).

The results showed more reliable role for family than the two other factors, as well as more reliable role for friends than neighbors which is consistent with the results of another study [1]. Results of the present study and the aforementioned study [1] are consistent, on veterans’ social capital (in family and in organization about 3 and 2 times social capital in society, respectively). … [31-36]

The veterans’ social capital ought to be enhanced through enhancement in their educational and income level. In addition, directed on the veterans’ gaining of social capital, some researches ought to be conducted.

Non-declared

There is greater mental and objective social capital for veterans inside family, than outside. From intra-group level (family and relatives) to out-group level (Martyrs Foundation and the society) veterans ‘mental and social capital decreases.

The researchers feel grateful to the veterans, who participated in the study.

Non-declared

Non-declared

Researchers, themselves, funded the study.

TABLES and CHARTS

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