Social Capital and Perceived Psychological Well-being in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Community-Based Survey

Abstract

Social relationships are fundamental to physical, social, and psychological well-being, offering opportunities for information exchange, trust-building, and reciprocal support. Consequently, social capital is closely linked to psychological well-being. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social capital and psychological well-being, along with the factors that predict these outcomes. A descriptive community-based survey design was used, with self-administered questionnaires assessing psychological well-being and social capital. A total of 303 participants were randomly selected for the study. Correlational analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between social capital and psychosocial well-being, while multiple regression analysis was performed using SPSS.25 to identify the predictors of both social capital and psychological well-being. The results revealed a significant relationship between social capital and psychosocial well-being, with social capital playing a crucial role in enhancing autonomy and life satisfaction. Additionally, being married, residing in the area for a long time, and having higher educational attainment were associated with higher levels of social capital. Psychological well-being was also positively related to length of residence, social capital, and education level. These findings suggest that, in an era of increasing psychosocial challenges, policies fostering social connections and relationships are essential for promoting better mental health.

Keywords: Social Capital, , Social Strcture, Social Realtion, Health, Cognative Socail Capital