Research Paper the Effects of Social Capital Components on the Mental
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Summer 2018. Vol 9. Num 2 Research Paper The effects of Social Capital Components on the Mental Health of Rural and Nomadic Wom- en: A Case of the Members of Micro-credit Funds in Kerman Province *Hamid Karimi Gougheri1, Zeynab Hallaj2, Naser Valizadeh3 1. Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabo, Zabol, Iran. 2. Former M.Sc. Student, Department of Agricultural Extension & Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. 3. Ph.D. Student, Department of Agricultural Extension & Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Use your device to scan and read the article online Citation: Karimi Gougheri, H., Hallaj, Z., & Valizadeh, N. (2018).[The effects of Social Capital Components on the Mental Health of Rural and Nomadic Women: A Case of the Members of Micro-credit Funds in Kerman Province (Persian)]. Journal of Rural Research, 9(2),210-221, http://dx.doi.org/ 10.22059/jrur.2017.236368.1131 : http://dx.doi.org/ 10.22059/jrur.2017.236368.1131 Received: 24 June 2017 A B S T R A C T Accepted: 22 Nov. 2017 The main purpose of this research is to analyze the effects of social capital components on the mental health of rural and nomadic women that were the members of micro-credit funds in Kerman province. The study is a descriptive-correlational research conducted through a survey technique. The statisti- cal population consisted of all the members of the micro-credit funds in Kerman province (N = 1146). As many as 300 members were selected as a sample using Krejcie and Morgan sample size table and the stratified random sampling method. The research tool was a questionnaire whose validity was con- firmed by an academic panel of agricultural extension and education and mental health experts. Its re- liability was confirmed by using a pilot test and calculating Cronbach's Alpha coefficients (0.72 ≤ α ≤ 0.89). The findings of the correlational analysis revealed that all the components including social trust, social interaction, social participation, social cohesion, exchange of information with social system, and Key words: informal relations positively and significantly correlate with the mental health of women. Furthermore, Social capital, the results of the regression analysis demonstrated that the variables of social trust, social interaction, Mental health, social cohesion, and exchange of information with social system have positive and significant impacts on Rural and nomadic mental health. These variables explained 61.9 percent of the variance of the mental health of rural and women nomadic women. Extended Abstract mental health. Such women, as a segment of the society, are exposed to many stressful situations, such as econom- 1. Introduction ic deprivation, excessive fatigue due to multiple tasks, etc. Furthermore, studies have revealed that not only is mental owadays, the mental health of all com- health determined by behavioral, biological and genetical munity members is one of the most factor but also it has social determinants and/or predic- important concerns in national and ru- tors. Social capital is a crucial element which can play ral development programs around the an important role in improving the mental health of com- N world. There is much evidence for the munity members. In this regard, the main purpose of this vulnerability of rural and nomadic women in terms of research is to analyze the effects of social capital compo- * Corresponding Author: Hamid Karimi-Gougheri, PhD Address: Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Bonjar Avenue, Zabol, Iran. Tel: +98 (054) 31232080 E-mail: [email protected] 210 Summer 2018. Vol 9. Num 2 nents on the mental health of rural and nomadic women in capital in terms of predicting the mental health of rural Kerman province. Given that micro-credit funds are one and nomadic women. In this regard, the results suggest- of the well-known environments in which remarkable so- ed that it should be clarified to the members of micro- cial capital is found, the present research was conducted credit funds that working together is a common interest. among the members of these funds. It means that, while the members of micro-credit funds can have specific ethnic attachments and/or interests and 2. Methodology think about role-playing in their informal networks, they can also have specific economic, social and civic com- This study is a descriptive-correlational research con- munalities with the other members of these funds. Clari- ducted through a cross-sectional survey. In addition, it is fication of these communalities will first improve the so- an applied study in terms of the research objective. The cial capital in micro-credit funds and then reinforce and statistical population consisted of all the members of the increase the mental health of rural and nomadic women micro-credit funds in Kerman province (N = 1146). As who are members of micro-credit funds in Kerman Prov- many as 300 members were selected as a sample using ince. In addition, the results obtained from the respon- Krejcie and Morgan sample size table and the stratified dents' classification based on their mental health demon- random sampling method. The research tool was a ques- strated that a majority of them have no favorable mental tionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a panel of ex- health standard. This result highlightes the importance of perts, and its reliability was confirmed by using a pilot this research and other studies which try to identify the test and calculating Cronbach's Alpha coefficients (0.72 predictors and determinants of mental health, especially ≤ α ≤ 0.89). in rural and nomadic women as members of micro-credit funds. 3. Results 5. Conclusion The relationships among the study variables were mea- sured through Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The re- Based on the results, it can be concluded that reinforcing sults of the correlational analysis showed that all such social capital can improve the standards of mental health components as social trust, social interaction, social among rural and nomadic women who are members of participation, social cohesion, exchange of information micro-credit funds. In this context, it should be noted that with social system, and informal relations positively and increasing information exchange among social system significantly correlate with the mental health of women. members is a milestone which can create an appropriate Meanwhile, exchange of information with social system field to disseminate information of mental health among proved to have the highest correlation coefficient with women. Developing social networks (i.e. another dimen- mental health. The results of the multiple regression anal- sion of social capital which have a significant impact on ysis revealed that social capital components could predict mental health) of members is another option to improve 61.9% of the variance changes in the mental health of the mental health in rural and nomadic micro-credit funds. micro-credit funds members. The results of the regression However, it should be kept in mind that developing a analysis demonstrated that the variables social trust, so- feeling of trust, participation and cohesion among micro- cial interaction, social cohesion, and exchange of infor- credit funds members is an effective mechanism that can mation with social system positively and significantly im- sustain healthy behavioral norms and mental health. pacte the mental health. However, the variables informal relations and social interactions were shown to have no Acknowledgments significant standardized impacts on the dependent vari- ables. A comparison of the standardized Beta coefficients This research did not receive any specific grant from also showed that the variables information exchange with funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for- social system (β = 0.463), social cohesion (β = 0.399), profit sectors. social participation (β = 0.390) and social trust (β = 0.149) have the highest power to predict mental health. Conflict of Interest 4. Discussion The authors declared no conflicts of interest Our analysis revealed that information exchange with social system, social cohesion, social participation and, social trust are the most important components of social 211 Karimi Gougheri,H., et al. The effects of Social Capital Components on the Mental Health of Rural and Nomadic Women. JRR, 9(2), 210-221 Summer 2018. Vol 9. Num 2 Karimi Gougheri,H., et al. The effects of Social Capital Components on the Mental Health of Rural and Nomadic Women. JRR, 9(2), 210-221 212 تابستان 1397 . دوره 9. شماره 2 اثر مؤلفههای سرمایه اجتماعی بر سﻻمت روان زنان روستایی و عشایری عضو صندوقهای اعتبارات خرد )مورد مطالعه: استان کرمان( *حمیدکریمیگوغری1،زینبحﻻج2،ناصرولیزاده3 1- عضو هیأت علمی گروه ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه زابل، زابل، ایران. 2- دانشآموخته کارشناسی ارشد گروه ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، تهران، ایران. 3- دانشجوی دکتری گروه ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه شیراز، شیراز، ایران. تاریخ دریافت: 03 تیر 13۹۶ تاریخ پذیرش: 01 آذر 13۹۶ هدف اصلی مطالعه حاضر تحلیل اثر مؤلفههای سرمایه اجتماعی بر سﻻمت روان زنان روستایی و عشایری عضو صندوقهای اعتبارات خرد استان کرمان است. این پژوهش از نوع پژوهشهای توصیفی- همبستگی است که با استفاده از فن پیمایش انجام شد. جامعه آماری مورد مطالعه، 1146 نفر از اعضای صندوقهای اعتبارات خرد زنان روستایی و عشایری بود که تعداد 300 نفر از آنها با بهرهگیری از جدول کریجسی و مورگان و روش نمونهگیری تصادفی طبقهای با انتساب متناسب انتخاب شدند. ابزار پژوهش، پرسشنامهای بود که روایی آن توسط متخصصان دانشگاهی ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی و سﻻمت روان تأیید شد و پایایی آن هم با یک مطالعه راهنما و ضرایب آلفای کرونباخ، محقق گردید )α ≤0/89≥72/0(. یافتههای حاصل از تحلیل همبستگی نشان داد که مؤلفههای اعتماد اجتماعی، تعامل اجتماعی، مشارکت اجتماعی، انسجام اجتماعی، مبادله اطﻻعات با نظام اجتماعی و روابط غیررسمی دارای همبستگی مثبت و معنیداری کلیدواژهها: با متغیر سﻻمت روان زنان هستند.