The impact of social media in enhancing young Iranian women’s citizenship education: Application of SmartPLS

The widespread adoption of social media and digital tools has evolved into an essential component of citizens’ daily lives. Citizenship education stands as a potent vehicle for nurturing a forward-thinking social contract rooted in the rights and responsibilities of individuals, effectively fostering the resurgence of social unity and solidarity. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the influence of social media on the multifaceted dimensions of youth citizenship education. A partial least squares-structural equation modelling algorithm was tested among a diverse sample of 384 young female participants in Iran. The findings unequivocally establish that the utilization of social media exerts a constructive and statistically significant influence on youth citizenship education. This positive effect extends across various dimensions, notably enhancing knowledge, cultivating positive attitudes and honing critical skills. These results underscore the role played by social media in augmenting the sphere of youth citizenship education.