Shu-Man Chang*, chang gung universtiy, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Province of China Her-Kun Chang, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Province of China Yung-Hsiu Lin, Ta-Hwa University of Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Province of China Track: Research Presentation Topic: The nature and dynamics of social networks in health Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2013-09-25

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Background
Positive psychology aims to study the development of positive characteristics, such as hope, creativity, courage, responsibility, and social relationship at both individual and group levels. The challenge for promoting such development may partially be attributed to the difficulties on observing evolution of influential factors at individual levels and collecting dynamics of social networks’ information at group levels. The popularity and acceptance of online social networks provides opportunities for university faculty and researchers to advance their understandings on the dynamics of student’s social networks.

Objective
This study aims to promote positive psychology on college new entrants by using Facebook.

Methods
A positive message delivering mechanism was designed for a group of college new entrants (N=122) and administrated for a period of twelve weeks. The group consists of two classes, one from medical school (N=81) and one from management school (N=41). Forty positive messages were edited ranging from straight aphorisms or mottos to soft reminders or prose. The researchers presented research details and answered student’s concerns during the enrollments. Two class secretaries were elected from students as message carriers to deliver positive message and collect responses with Facebook. A technology acceptance questionnaire was developed, including nineteen 6-points Likert scale questions and three open questions to test perspectives in relation to ease of use, usefulness, and intention to use. The questionnaire was used to estimate whether online social network can be accepted by college new entrants on promoting positive psychology development.

Results
Of 122 subjects, 50(40%) were female and 72(60%) were male; average Facebook experience was 21.4 months, average time on using Internet was 25.1 hours and on Facebook was 15.8 hours per week. From data analysis of the questionnaire, the highest mean score in perceived usefulness is benefit on health promotion (mean=4.56, S.D=0.91), the lowest score is positive message direct from parents (mean=3.28, S.D=1.02). Perceived usefulness has a significant correlation with intention to use (r=0.675, p <0.001). From collected responses (average frequency of “like” button being pressed in every three weeks) of each positive message, students from medical school have 17.1, 15.1, 17.6, and 14.3, and management school have 20.4, 14.6, 14.5, and 12.4 respectively. The lease “like” message (N=16) was straight aphorisms and the most “like” message (N=49) was timely reminder.

Conclusion
Promoting positive psychology with online social network on college new entrants is feasible not only on the right time and proper places but may also benefit student’s further developments. Using class-based groups in Facebook can promote positive atmosphere that enhance strong tie relationships both in physical and virtual environments for new entrants. When they pass freshman period, the class-based strong ties may transfer to weak ties that may have a chance to broaden the influence of positive message practices. As online social networks become major tools for college students, how to study such influence on students’ daily live and develop proper positive message delivery methods is crucial in this trend.