Investigation of The Relation Between The Use of Internet Among Nursing Students and Social Support Systems

Aim: This study aims to analyze the relation between the use of internet among the students of a nursing school and social support systems. Method: The study sample consisted of 316 students attending a nursing school. The study data were collected with a questionnaire form, The Online Cognition Scale and The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Results: There was no statistically meaningful relation between the total score of the Online Cognition Scale and the sociodemographic characteristics of the participant students (p 0.05). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support total score was found to be statistically meaningful in relation to the father’s profession (p= 0.028) and the level of income (p=0,03). It was also noted that there was a meaningful and weak negative relation between the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support total score and the Online Cognition Scale (r: -,136). However, the study results illustrated a weak negative relation between the Online Cognition Scale and the family social support (subdimension) (r:-,128*). There wasn’t a meaningful relation between the subdimensions of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The results further suggested a meaningful but a weak negative relation between the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Online Cognition Scale in terms of the social support (-,119*), the diminished impulse control (-,160**), the distraction (-,120*) subdimensions (** p 0.01, *p 0.05) Conclusion: In light of the results of the study, it can be suggested that the use of internet is comparatively more common among university students with lower levels of social support.