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Introduction
ndividuals’ lives are characterized in
a world surrounded by computer and
internet communications. Network
society has led to the penetration of
comprehensiveness, complexity, and
technological networking into various
areas of life [1]. According to the Ministry
of Communications and the International Telecommunication
:union:, the internet penetration rate in Iran
has reached more than 46.9%, equivalent to 36.5 million
subjects. Most internet users use virtual social networks;
thus, these networks present major effects on Iranian
public opinion [2, 3].
One of the possibilities of information and communication
technology based on Web 2 tools in Virtual Social
Networks (VSNs). By definition, social media has
been introduced as internet networks that quickly and
easily provide an online connection for users to interact
[1]. The concept of internet social networks was first
introduced in 1960 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign. Since then, numerous similar websites
have been created worldwide; they have been so popular
among users that are considered among the most important
and effective communication tools [4-6].
Among these virtual social networks, Facebook, with
the highest number of users, followed by YouTube and
Instagram, are the most popular social networks globally
[7]. However, in a study conducted in Iran, Telegram
with 88.6%, Instagram (63.8%), WhatsApp (38.6%), and
YouTube (13.6%) were among the social networks most
applied in the country. Besides, Soroush with 12.4%,
was among the most popular VSNs [8].
VSNs, with their unique features, can meet the wide
range of needs of users; they include a set of tools to
communicate with others and share content, such as social
networking sites (e.g., Facebook & Twitter), sites
to provide photo sharing (e.g., Flickr), and video sharing
sites (e.g., YouTube & Vimeo). Social networks are
unique, as facilitate two-way communication and allow
subjects to personalize their content and interact with
others [4, 5, 9, 10].
Numerous studies highlighted the positive and negative
consequences of VSNs on various aspects of individuals’
lives [11-13]. Among their adverse effects, we
can mention the creation and increase of anxiety and
stress in users [14]. However, VSNs also present favorable
consequences and can be used for educational
purposes, maintaining current friendships, reviving old
friendships, dating, self-expression, escaping loneliness
and related problems, emotional discharge, happiness,
entertainment, and fun, spending time, information,
mobilization, and organization, social and political oversight,
and so on [15, 16].
In several studies, various tools and questionnaires
have been designed and psychoanalyzed with sometimes
different goals for VSNs. Accordingly, they can be
used as tools for measuring social network addiction in
students [17-19]; tools for attitude towards using social
networks and relationship with students’ academic performance
[20]; the psychometric evaluation of tools for
the intensity of activity in social networks [21]; a tool
for health education experts [9]; a questionnaire measuring
the impact of social networking sites on students [22,
23]; a questionnaire on the psychosocial aspects of the
Facebook social network [24], and so on.
However, given the growing use of these networks,
especially Telegram and WhatsApp, and the greater
focus of the literature on internet addiction and social
networking, the design of questionnaires to specific target
groups, such as youth and students, and the lack of
appropriate questionnaires to assess the consequences
due to the use of virtual social networks, it is necessary
to design a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure
these effects and consequences in users. Therefore, the
present study aimed to design a questionnaire to assess
the consequences of using VSNs on users and evaluate
its validity and reliability.
2. Materials and Methods
This methodological study was conducted in 2018.
The study population included all active users of VSNs
living in Qom Province, Iran. In this study, researchers
first designed an initial questionnaire. After designing
the questionnaire, to evaluate the validity and reliability,
face, content, and construct validity methods were used
by Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). To determine the
reliability, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Intra-Class
Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was used, as follows:
Initially, to design the items of the first draft of the questionnaire,
an extensive review of sources and texts, and a
review of experts’ opinions were employed. Accordingly,
a bank of questionnaire items related to the dimensions
concerning the consequences of using VSNs was formed
and similar items were merged or deleted. Finally, the remaining
items were categorized into 138 items.
I
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To determine the face validity of the questionnaire, the
qualitative method was used. Therefore, the designed
questions were provided to 8 specialists in health education,
epidemiology, statistics, psychology, and sociology
and familiar with the psychometrics of the questionnaire.
They were requested to provide the necessary review and
feedback concerning the appropriateness and relevancy
of the phrases with the dimensions and structures of the
questionnaire and the existence of words reflecting the
desired concept. To evaluate face validity, the question
was answered: “Is the tool properly designed to evaluate
the intended purpose?” Finally, after sending and receiving
the questionnaire twice and analyzing the views, a
consensus was reached. Then, using the formula of the
item effect method, face validity was calculated according
to the following Equation:
(Impact Score=Frequency (%)×Importance)
Frequency reflects the percentage of individuals who
gave a score of 4 or 5, and what is meant by the importance
of the average total score of subjects to importance
based on the Likert-type scale. If the impact score exceeds
1.5, the item will be considered suitable for further
analysis [25]; based on which, 97 items were extracted.
The Content Validity Ratio (CVR) was used to quantitatively
evaluate the content validity of the tool. CVR was
also applied to ensure that the main correct content was
selected. Furthermore, the Content Validity Index (CVI)
was used to ensure that the questionnaire questions were
best designed to measure the content. To determine the
CVR, experts were first requested to comment on each
item of the questionnaire based on grammar criteria, the
use of appropriate words, importance, necessity, and the
proper placement of phrases. Individual items were examined
using 3 spectrums, as follows: “the item is necessary”,
“the item is useful but not necessary”, and “the
item is not necessary”. The responses were then calculated
based on the following formula [26, 27]. Finally,
the opinions and views of experts were applied to correct
and improve the questionnaire items. According to
the Lowshe table, items with a CVR of higher than 0.75
(based on the judgment of 8 experts) were significant
(P<0.05) and retained [28].
CVR=(Number of essential responses per item)-
(Number of participants/2) / (Number of participants/2)
The questionnaire was re-provided to the experts to
calculate the CVI; they were requested to separately
determine the relevance, clarity, and simplicity of each
item of the questionnaire, based on the CVI of Waltz
and Bausell, on a Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 to 5
[29]. Thus, in this study, the CVI was calculated for each
item by dividing the number of experts agreeing to rank
3 and 4 for each item by the total number of experts [30]
(according to the following formula). In this method,
items with a score higher than 0.79 are suitable, those
between 0.70 and 0.79 need to be corrected, and items
with a score less than 0.70 are unacceptable. Then, based
on the mean CVI scores of all items of the questionnaire,
the average CVI of the questionnaire was calculated. A
score of 0.90 or higher is recommended for the average
CVI (S-CVI/Ave) of the questionnaire [30]. Finally, the
content validity of the questionnaire was established and
the number of items was reduced from 97 to 32.
CVI=Number of experts who rated the item 3 or 4/
Total number of experts
After applying the necessary changes, to determine the
validity of the structure, EFA, using principal component
analysis and varimax rotation was used to identify the
main components and summarize and classify the data
into correlated groups. The purpose of EFA is to reduce a
series of data to be easily described and used, i.e., usually
the case with questionnaires [31]. In this study, the following
assumptions were also observed before performing
factor analysis [32]:
1. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sampling adequacy index
should be at least 0.6.
2. The result of Bartlett’s Sphericity test is statistically
significant.
3. The factor load of each question in the factor matrix
and the rotating matrix is at least 0.3 and it is better to be
higher than that.
4. Each of the factors belongs to more than one question.
5. The factors have sufficient credibility.
For factor analysis, the recommended sample size
equals 5-10 subjects per item of the questionnaire.
Some experts consider even 3 samples per item of the
questionnaire to be sufficient if the percentage of variance
expressed is more than 0.80 [33]. In this study, 10
samples were considered for each of the 32 items of the
questionnaire. Finally, 320 samples were selected using
the multistage sampling method. For this purpose,
among the postal areas of Qom Province (as a cluster),
some public places, such as healthcare centers, offices,
mosques, shrines, and parks were randomly selected, and
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according to the sample size, questionnaires from eligible
individuals who referred to these places was completed.
This questionnaire was collected from 320 active users
of eligible VSNs (individuals aged ≥18 years [34], who
have used VSNs for at least 6 months and keep using
them during the study). Subjects that gave incomplete
answers to the questionnaire were excluded from the
study and replaced with other samples.
Eventually, after analyzing the construct validity of the
questionnaire, 7 factors, and 22 items were obtained; according
to their content, they were named as physical,
psychological, cultural, social, identification and belonging,
general, and political, with a range of Likert-type
options (completely agree, agree, no opinion, disagree,
& strongly disagree), rated from one to 5. A 5-point Likert-
type scale falls in the form of “strongly disagree” (1
point), “disagree” (2 points), “have no opinion” (3 points),
“agree” (4 points), and “strongly agree” (5 points).
In the present study, to determine the reliability of the
questionnaire, internal consistency methods, by Cronbach’s
alpha coefficient and external stability using testretest
were used. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.70
or higher also indicates an acceptable level of reliability
[30]. To determine the reliability of the questionnaire
using test-retest, considering r=0.50 (the estimation of
correlation between before and two weeks after the questionnaire
questions) was calculated using the formula below:
38 subjects, which according to the probability of
samples dropout, 40 individuals were chosen. For this
purpose, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated to
measure the internal consistency of the questionnaire. To
assess the stability of the test-retest data, the questionnaire
was completed by 40 individuals in the target group
in two stages with a two-week interval. Then, for the
scores obtained in these two stages, the Intra-Class Coefficient
(ICC) was calculated. If the ICC is higher than
0.80, the degree of internal stability is desirable [35].
n=
za/2+z1-β
0/5Ln( 1+r
1-r )
2
+3 r=0.5 a=0.05
To observe ethical considerations, individuals voluntarily
entered the study with complete knowledge of the
objectives of the study. Furthermore, the questionnaires
were completed without the need to enter personal details.
This study was also reviewed and approved by the
Ethics Committee of Qom University of Medical Sciences.
In the present study, after reviewing the raw data,
the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS v. 20 and
LISREL 10.3. To determine the content validity of CVI
and CVR, to determine the construct validity of EFA, to
determine the reliability of internal consistency, Cronbach’s
alpha coefficient was used for each factor and the
whole questionnaire. Moreover, to determine the testretest
reliability, the ICC test was used.
3. Results
The Mean±SD age of the users was 28±9.08 years. In
terms of gender, 192(60%) and 128(40%) subjects were
female and male, in sequence. Furthermore, 153(47.8%)
individuals were single, 164(51.3%) were married,
and 3(0.9%) samples were divorced. Additionally, the
majority of users (216; 67.5%) had a university degree,
81(25.4%) subjects had a diploma, 19(5.9%) had
secondary school education, and 4(1.2%) had primary
education. Concerning internet familiarity, 138(43.2%)
individuals reported high familiarity, 153(47.8%) identified
moderate level, 26(8.1%) participants reported low,
and 3(0.9%) individuals were without internet knowledge.
The Mean±SD daily internet use was measured as
3.5±1.8 hours in the study participants.
After calculating the score of effect index, 41 items
presented a score lower than 1.5, i.e., removed and the
number of items was reduced from 138 to 97. Additionally,
the CVR and CVI of the items were calculated
per the opinion of 8 experts. Subsequently, the CVR
results indicated that according to the Lowshe table, the
items with a CVR less than the values provided for 8
subjects (0.75) were excluded. Thus, from 97 items, 60
were removed and the number of items was reduced to
37. Moreover, the results of CVI revealed that 5 items
had CVI values lower than 0.79, i.e., removed and the
remaining items were kept; at this stage, the number of
items was reduced from 37 to 32.
The results of EFA with varimax rotation suggested
that the calculated sample adequacy value (KMO) was
equal to 0.785. Additionally, Bartlett’s test for Sphericity
was significant at 0.001. At this stage, 10 items whose
variance explained by each factor was less than 0.5 were
removed. Finally, the number of variables was classified
into 7 factors and 22 items according to. Out of these 22
items, 4 concerned the physical dimension, 3 items were
related to the psychological dimension, 4 items respected
the social dimension, 3 items addressed the cultural dimension,
3 items were related to the general dimension,
2 items concerned the identity and belonging dimension,
and 3 items respected the political dimension. Therefore,
the range of achievable scores in the physical dimension
(5-20), psychological dimension (5-15), social dimen-
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sion (5-20), cultural dimension (5-15), general dimension
(5-15), identity and belonging dimension (5-10) and
the political dimension (5-15) were identified.
To achieve that the present questionnaire, i.e., saturated
with several factors, the eigenvalues, the ratio of variance
explained by each factor, the eigenvalues or sloping
scheme, and the number of assumed factors were considered.
Table 1 on the left of the first 3 columns presents
a description of the eigenvalue and the corresponding
variance of the factor and identifies the factors whose
eigenvalues are greater than one and remain in the analysis,
and the factors with eigenvalues less than one and the
factors, i.e., explained only by an obvious variable were
excluded from the analysis. These eigenvalues were nonrotating
extraction factors that include the factor loads
(factor scores) of each of the variables in the remaining
7 factors. To interpret factor loads without rotation, the
factors are rotated to increase their interpretability. The
3 columns on the right represent the eigenvalues of the
extraction factors with varimax rotation and the corresponding
variance of the factor (Table 1).
Table 2 illustrates the number of factors extracted by
the EFA method along with the observable variables and
the factor load associated with each factor. The higher
the absolute value of the coefficients of the observed
variables, the greater the relevant factor in the total variance
of the variable. Observational variables are called
factors based on their correlation and Varimax rotation
around 7 latent variables. Besides, all these dimensions
explain the consequences of using VSNs on users. These
7 variable factors explained 66.297% of the variance; it
includes the highest share of the first factor with 19.32%
and the lowest share of the seventh factor with 4.68%.
Furthermore, in the physical dimension, the highest
factor load was related to the third item (G3) and the
lowest factor load was related to the first item (G1). Psychologically,
the highest factor load was related to the
first item (R1) and the lowest factor load was related to
the third item (R3). In the social dimension, the highest
factor load was related to the second item (E2) and the
lowest factor load was related to the third item (E3). In
the cultural dimension, the highest factor load was related
to the second item (F2) and the lowest factor load
was related to the third item (F3). In the general dimension,
the highest load was related to the second item (P2)
and the lowest factor load was related to the first item
(P1). In the dimension of identification and belonging,
the highest factor load was related to the first item (H1)
and the lowest factor load was related to the second item
(H2). Finally, in the political dimension, the highest factor
load was related to the first item (S1) and the lowest
factor load was related to the third item (S3) (Table 2).
To determine the internal reliability of the questionnaire,
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used per dimension,
ranging from 0.85 to 0.65 among 40 active
users of VSNs and eligible for the research. Additionally,
to determine the external reliability of the questionnaire,
the test-retest method was used. The questionnaire
was completed by 40 users of VSNs in two
stages two weeks apart and the results indicated that the
mentioned dimensions of the optimal correlation coefficient
equaled 0.66-0.87 (Table 3).
Table 1. The eigenvalue and corresponding variance of extraction factors without and with rotation
Number
before Varimax Rotation After Varimax Rotation
Factors Eigenvalue Variance (%) Cumulative
Variance (%) Eigenvalue Variance (%) Cumulative
Variance (%)
1 Physical dimension 4.252 19.329 19.329 2.757 12.532 12.532
2 Psychological
dimension 1.741 7.913 43.429 2.448 11.128 35.613
3 Social dimension 3.561 16.187 35.516 2.630 11.953 24.485
4 Cultural dimension 1.651 7.503 50.932 2.218 10.081 45.694
5 General dimension 1.237 5.621 56.553 1.930 8.772 54.466
6
Dimensions of
Identification and
Belonging
1.113 5.057 61.610 1.321 6.004 60.471
7 Political dimension 1.031 4.687 66.297 1.282 5.826 66.297
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4. Discussion
The current study designed and determined the psychometric
properties of a questionnaire to assess the
consequences of using VSNs on users. Designing and
determining the psychometric properties of measuring
instruments is a major challenge. This is because some
designed instruments are used without validity and reliability
establishment; the quality of a tool depends on its
validity and reliability [36]. In this study, face and content
validity, construct validity (EFA), internal consistency
(Cronbach’s alpha coefficient), and questionnaire’s reliability
were confirmed by the test-retest approach. Since
in each stage of this study, to validate the questionnaire,
the opinions of experts were used; accordingly, the questionnaire
provided good validity and reliability in a sample
of Iranian users.
Table 2. Consequences of using virtual social networks on users
Factors Item Number
Contents Factor
Load Subscriptions
Physical dimension
G1 Excessive use of virtual social networks has caused me to not
have a good night’s sleep. 0.608 0.520
G2 I get a headache after using virtual social networks. 0.860 0.769
G3 I burn my eyes after using virtual social networks. 0.844 0.761
G4 After using VSNs, I get blurred vision. 0.828 0.727
Psychological
dimension
R1 Using VSNs has made me depressed. 0.854 0.764
R2 Using VSNs has made me anxious and stressed. 0.826 0.725
R3 By joining VSNs, my self-confidence has decreased. 0.751 0.679
Social dimension
E1 In VSNs, it is possible to express ideas freely and get acquainted
with the opinions and thoughts of others. 0.751 0.570
E2 VSNs are media that provide equal opportunities for people to
talk to each other. 0.761 0.673
E3 Being in a VSN has strengthened my social relationships. 0.588 0.597
E4 People have become much easier to communicate with each
other through virtual social networks. 0.726 0.794
Cultural dimension
F1 Through VSNs, I become interested in the literature, poetry, and
language of my nation. 0.808 0.781
F2 I get to know my country’s music through the use of VSNs. 0.852 0.693
F3 By joining social networks, I will become more familiar with
Iranian customs. 0.795 0.624
General dimension
P1 Life with VSNs is fascinating to me. 0.607 0.658
P2 I feel emotionally supported by joining virtual groups. 0.726 0.550
P3 By joining VSNs, people can easily express their emotions and
feelings. 0.660 0.576
The dimension of
identification and
belonging
H1
Members of virtual social networks are satisfied with the feeling
of belonging to the group and having a common interest and
opinion.
0.839 0.726
H2 In the space of VSNs, dating experience is possible in a style and
context different from the real space. 0.588 0.576
Political dimension
S1 Using VSNs, I feel safe and secure in my country compared to
other countries. 0.785 0.653
S2 VSNs are needed to be aware of the country’s political information
and news. 0.764 0.632
S3 Through the messages of VSNs, I have found a positive perception
and view of the political situation in my country. 0.731 0.588
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In the designing stage of the questionnaire, 138 items
were set based on the review of texts. In the stage of determining
face validity, items with an impact score less
than 1.5 were removed and those with an impact score
higher than 1.5 remained. Therefore, 41 items were removed
and appropriate items (97 items) remained at this
stage [37, 38]. Therefore, according to the sources of
face validity, the questionnaire to measure the effects of
using virtual social networks has good face validity.
In this study, to examine the content validity of the questionnaire,
the CVR was used. Consequently, based on
the judgment of 8 experts, items with a score less than
0.75 based on the table of Lowshe (60 items) were removed.
Therefore, at this stage, more appropriate items
remained [28]. Furthermore, the calculation of the CVI
removed 5 items with a value of less than 0.79. Therefore,
the remaining items were considered appropriate
for the questionnaire [39]. As a result, the designed questionnaire
had good content validity. Hejazi et al. [20]
also used the content validity method in their research.
To evaluate the construct validity of the questionnaire,
initially, factor analysis was performed on the remaining
32 items. The results of KMO measurement and
Bartlett’s test for Sphericity indicated its suitability. The
results of the eigenvalue also indicated that the questionnaire
was multifactorial (i.e., 7 factors). The minimum
factor load required to include an item in a factor depends
on the number of questionnaire expressions and
considered eigenvalue [33]. Thus, the cut-off point of 0.5
is considered as the minimum factor load required by
each item to maintain it. Then, based on which of the 7
factors had the highest factor load on each factor, it was
considered as the item related to that factor.
Considering that the minimum factor load of some
items of the questionnaire was higher than 0.5, 10 items
were removed and the rest were retained. Therefore, according
to the concordance of items in the factors obtained
from factor analysis with the definition and dimensions
of the concept of VSNs, the construct validity
of the questionnaire was confirmed using EFA with 22
items in 7 factors. These items include 4 items were related
to the physical dimension, 3 items concerned the
psychological dimension, 4 items respected the social dimension,
3 items covered the cultural dimension, 3 items
addressed the general dimension, 2 items were related
to the dimension of identification and belonging, and 3
items concerned the political dimension.
In the study of Hejazi et al., after confirming the face
validity, content validity, EFA by principal component
method, and Varimax rotation, the final 30-item tool led
to the extraction of two factors, as follows: attitude towards
using social networks and the rate of using social
networks [20]. Khajeahmadi et al. also performed the
structural validity stages of their study using EFA; according
to which the number of questionnaire items was
reduced to 23 items and the dimensions of the questionnaire
were classified into 4 factors, as follows: individual
performance, time management, self-control, and social
relations [18]. In the study of Alber et al., 6 dimensions
of social network self-efficacy, social network experience,
effort expectations, performance expectations,
facilitation conditions, and social impact were obtained
[9]. Bodroža and Jovanović also reached the final 5 dimensions
of the psychosocial tools for using Facebook [24].
In the present study, to measure the different consequences
of using VSNs on users, questionnaires including,
7 dimensions of physical, psychological, social, cultural,
Table 3. Determining the reliability of the components of the questionnaire to measure the consequences of the use of VSNs on users
Numbers Factors Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient ICC P
1 Physical dimension 0.82 0.68 ≤0.001
2 Psychological dimension 0.84 0.87 ≤0.001
3 Social dimension 0.70 0.73 ≤0.001
4 Cultural dimension 0.85 0.75 ≤0.001
5 General dimension 0.65 0.71 ≤0.001
6 Dimensions of identification and belonging 0.71 0.70 ≤0.001
7 Political dimension 0.69 0.66 ≤0.001
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general, identification and belonging, and political were
obtained. The physical dimension addressed the negative
consequences of using VSNs, physically, such as sleep
problems, headaches, eye irritation, and blurred vision.
Some studies indicated that using VSNs was positively
correlated with health-related consequences [40]. Besides,
users who overuse VSNs manifest further physical
problems. These include sleep problems (e.g., irregular
sleep patterns, insomnia, snoring, apnea, & nightmares),
sedentary lifestyle, weight gain, obesity, decreased physical
fitness, vision problems, and dry eyes, migraine headaches,
and decreased personal health [41, 42].
In the psychological dimension of the developed questionnaire,
the consequences of using VSNs included
problems, such as depression, anxiety, stress, and decreased
user confidence. Some studies have mentioned
the benefits of using these networks to improve mental
health [40, 43]; however, uncontrolled use of virtual
social networks imposes various psychological harms
on users, such as depression, anxiety, obsession, interpersonal
sensitivity, hostility, morbid fear, paranoid
thoughts, and psychosis [14, 41]. In the study of Bodroža
and Jovanović, a dimension of the questionnaire was applied
to examine the psychosocial aspects of using Facebook;
the dimension of Facebook addiction, i.e., which
has addressed problems, like sleep problems, but not
separately [24].
The social dimension of the present questionnaire also
included such aspects as being able to deliberately express
ideas; getting acquainted with the opinions and
thoughts of others; providing equal opportunities for
individuals to talk to each other, as well as strengthening
and facilitating social relations with their audiences
in these networks. In the study of Khajeahmadi et al.,
a dimension of the questionnaire to measure addiction
to mobile social networks as social relations [18]. In the
study of Alber et al., one of the 6 dimensions of the questionnaire
was the social impact [9]. In the case of the
tool for examining the psychosocial aspects, employing
Facebook, the factor of socialization, included active efforts
to meet new friends [24]. Some studies also indicated
that VSNs significantly impact the behavior and
interpersonal communication of users, also increase their
sense of social wellbeing [15, 40, 44].
In the cultural dimension of the generated questionnaire,
issues, such as interest in literature, poetry, and
mother language, more familiarity with Iranian customs,
traditions, and music through t using VSNs were
addressed. In a study, the role of VSNs in creating an
atmosphere of interethnic interaction and dialogue and
providing the possibility of mutual recognition and understanding
of cultural differences was emphasized as
the most important opportunities of VSNs [45]. Using
VSNs in the cultural arena strengthens national identity
symbols (language, literature, beliefs, national myths,
etc.), strengthens national subcultures and soft cultural
power in the international arena, forms cultural, and social
campaigns to pursue issues and concerns, the odds
of responding to doubts, criticisms, and deviations in
various issues and the formation of a culture of dialogue
and increase the tolerance of opposing ideas [45].
The general dimension of the questionnaire included
the attractiveness of life in the presence of VSNs, the
feeling of receiving emotional support, and providing
the ability to express emotions, and feelings in users of
VSNs. Some studies found that individuals with membership
and participation in these VSNs, to escape from
loneliness and problems, emotional evacuation, receiving
support and trust in others and groups [15, 34].
The identification and belonging dimension of the
present questionnaire included users’ satisfaction with
the feeling of belonging to groups with common interests
and beliefs, as well as the possibility of dating experience
in a different way from the real space. A study
suggested that the functions of VSNs concerning Iranian-
Islamic identity included the optimal organization of
virtual social groups, the development of social partnerships,
sharing interests by members, and the ability to
create content by members [46]. Furthermore, with the
expansion of using VSNs, users can rely on these media
to present their identity, personality traits, and other critical
elements in social communication as they wish. VSN
users have the opportunity to display a completely new
and sometimes conflicting identity [47].
Finally, the political dimension of the questionnaire
included such aspects as feeling more secure and calm
in their country compared to other countries; deeming it
necessary to know about the country’s political news and
gain insight and a positive view of the country’s political
situation using VSNs. Adlipour reported that using the
Facebook social network to obtain news and information
leads to strengthening trust and normal political participation
among citizens [48]. Another study revealed
a significant relationship between using VSNs and users’
sense of security and comfort [49]. Using VSNs in
the political field increases national affiliation helps to
achieve the slogan of equality and justice and balanced
development; promotes solidarity and strengthens it in
social networks and recognizes the real needs of individ-
Ramezani T, et al. Psychometrics Properties of a Scale Consequences of Virtual Social Networks. Arch Hyg Sci. 2021; 10(3):251-262.
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uals; it takes action to respond, control, and guide them
on time [15, 45].
To evaluate the reliability of the present questionnaire,
its internal consistency was determined by calculating
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The relevant results indicated
the appropriate internal consistency of the items.
Thus, the dimensions of the questionnaire provided acceptable
and appropriate reliability. Khajeahmadi et al.
[18] also confirmed the internal reliability of their questionnaire
by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of
0.92. Alber et al. [9], Al-Menayes [17], Hejazi et al. [20],
and Li et al. [21] also used the internal consistency method
to determine the reliability of their generated tools.
The reliability of the questionnaire was also tested
through the test-retest method; the obtained results obtained
from two tests at a 2-week interval highlighted the
appropriate stability of the questionnaire. Jenkins-Guarnieri
et al. also used the test-retest method to determine
the stability of their instrument [23]. Li et al. also used the
retest method and ICC to evaluate the reliability of their
instrument [21]. However, Khajeahmadi et al. [18] and
Topaloglu et al. [22] did not use this method in their study
and only calculated the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.
A strength of the present questionnaire was implementing
the design process and determining its psychometric
properties among all users aged over 18 years in the
community. Due to not being assigned to only one specific
age, education, or occupation, the questionnaire can
be used in different groups.
The study had limitations such as the lack of cooperation
or complete response of some users to the questionnaire
questions, which led to the invitation of other subjects
to participate in the study.
5. Conclusion
The present study results suggested that the designed
questionnaire provided good validity and reliability. Additionally,
the extent of the factor load of all items as
appropriate. Considering that the consequences of VSNs
are multidimensional and include comprehensive aspects,
such as biopsychosocial, cultural, public, identification
and belonging, and political, this questionnaire
can be used in the outcome assessment studies of VSNs
on various aspects of the lives of community users. Furthermore,
this questionnaire is suitable for answering all
sections of society; thus, it can help to identify existing
deficiencies and help officials to address them.
Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
The study was approved by the ethics committee of
Qom University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.MUQ.
REC.1397.100).
Funding
The present study was extracted from a research project
(Code: IR.MUQ.REC.1397.100) and has been implemented
with the support of the Vice Chancellor for
Research of Qom University of Medical Sciences.
Authors' contributions
Conceptualization and Supervision: Tahereh Ramezani
and Zabihollah Gharlipour; Methodology: Zabihollah
Gharlipour; Investigation, Writing – original draft, and
Writing – review & editing: All authors; Data collection:
Zahra Dashti, Fatemeh Kosari, and Maryam Malekzade;
Data analysis: Zabihollah Gharlipour, Ahmad Rahbar
and Tahereh Ramezani; Funding acquisition and Resources:
Zabihollah Gharlipour and Tahereh Ramezani.
Conflict of interest
The authors stated no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgments
Researchers consider it necessary to express their gratitude
and appreciation. The patience and cooperation of
the participants in this research are also appreciated.
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