Use of Virtual Social Networks by Adolescents in Zanjan, Iran (2016-2017)

Background: Virtual social networks are the most important communication tools in the modern era, which have gained remarkable popularity in various communities. The use of social networks by different age groups has been on the rise, especially among adolescents. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess adaptation to motherhood and its influential factors in the first year postpartum in Iranian women. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 students aged 16-18 years during 2016-2017. The research samples were selected by multi-stage method. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires and a researcher-made questionnaire to assess the rate and mode of using social networks. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using descriptive statistics. Results: In total, 77.8% of the adolescents were registered in various social networks, and the majority were the users of Telegram (75.6%). Moreover, 58.9% of the participants had been using virtual social networks for more than 12 months, and 19.4% used the networks for more than four hours per day for non-educational purposes. On the other hand, 47.2% of the students used social networks for educational purposes for less than one hour. Conclusion: According to the results, adolescents frequently used virtual social networks, especially for non-educational purposes. Therefore, it is recommended that various scientific channels and networks with greater magnetism be designed for entertaining adolescents.