Influence of Social Capital on Community Participation with Community Development as an Intervening Variable

This study aims to analyze the influence of social capital comprising trust, social networks, and social values on community development and community participation. Additionally, it explores the mediating role of community development in the relationship between the dimensions of social capital and community participation. A mixed-method approach was employed, combining a systematic literature review with path analysis, to provide both conceptual and empirical insights into the dynamics of social capital in community empowerment. The obtained results showed that trust and network had a positive and significant impact on community development and community participation while social values had no significant influence, possibly due to the abstract nature of the associated values and the time required to influence community dynamics. Accordingly, community development was observed to effectively mediate influence of trust and network on community participation by fostering productive interactions and enhancing collective awareness. Regardless of the fact that social values had no direct impact, reinforcing these values remains very important for building solidarity and collective awareness. These results offer valuable contributions to the understanding of social capital’s multidimensional role in supporting participatory and sustainable community development initiatives.