Analysis of Relationship between Social Capital and Life Quality of Villagers in Khuzestan Province: Emphasizing the Mediator Role of Tourism

The goal of this research was to analyze the relationship between relationship between social capital and life quality of Khuzestan province villagers with an emphasis on the mediator role of tourism. Statistical population of study was rural households in central region of Baghmalek and Izeh township located at Khuzestan province (N=484). Sample size determined via sample size table of Bartlett et al.(2001). (n=218). Sampling method was proportional stratified random sampling. Research instrument was questionnaire. Face and content validity of the questionnaire revised and verified by panel of agricultural extension and education and rural development experts. Calculated values of Cronbach’s Alpha, average variance extracted and composite reliability were acceptable for different parts of the questionnaire. Results of path analysis by PlS software showed that there is positive and significant relation between social capital and life quality of villagers. Also, related results of mediating effect of environmental sustainability of tourism on relation between social capital and EST showed that there is positive and significant relationship between social capital and EST and also between EST and villagers’ life quality. Therefore as a main finding of this study can be concluded EST has mediator effect on relationships between social capital and villagers’ life quality