The Relationship Between Social Network Use and Students’ Quality of Life

Background: The availability and use of various social networks influence individuals’ lives. This survey aimed to determine students’ quality of life and its relationship with internet and social networks use in the shadow of the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This descriptive survey was performed on 350 eligible students from Alborz University of Medical Sciences in 2021. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using three questionnaires covering socioeconomic status, social networks, quality of life, and a sociodemographic checklist. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: In this study, the average age of participants was 22.42±2.8 years, with an average daily social network usage of 3.76±2.11 hours. The mean quality of life score was 62.9±16.9, and the mean score for social network engagement was 49.87±9.3. A significant association was found between social network scores and both the type of social network used and the average time spent on these platforms. Within the dimensions of social network use, the type of social network (B=-0.230) served as a negative predictor, while 4-5 hours of daily social network use (B=0.196) served as a positive predictor for quality of life scores. Conclusion: The study findings indicate a significant connection between the use of the Internet and social networks and students’ quality of life. Therefore, it is imperative to address the time spent on and the type of social networks that is particularly important.