The Relationship Between Internet Use for Social Purposes, Loneliness, and Depressive Symptoms Among the Oldest Old

Factors associated with loneliness among individuals aged 80 years and over: Findings derived from the nationally representative "Old Age in Germany (D80+)" study

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the factors associated with loneliness in individuals aged 80 years and older in Germany (also stratified by sex).

METHODS

Data from the nationally representative "Old Age in Germany (D80+)" were employed. The analytic sample equaled 10,031 individuals. The D80+ study included community-dwelling and institutionalized individuals ≥ 80 years in Germany. Multiple linear regressions were used (with sociodemographic and health-related explanatory factors). The collection of data occurred between November 2020 and April 2021 (written questionnaire).

RESULTS

Higher loneliness was significantly associated with not being married (e.g., widowed compared to being married, β=0.37, p<.001), being institutionalized (β=0.33, p<.001), low education (high education compared to low education, β=-0.07, p<.01), a higher number of chronic conditions (β=0.02, p<.001), poor self-rated health (β=-0.19, p<.001) and greater functional impairment (β=0.15, p<.001). Sex-stratified regressions produced comparable results. However, low education was only associated with higher loneliness among men, but not women (with significant interaction: education x sex).

CONCLUSION

Several sociodemographic and health-related factors can contribute to loneliness among the oldest old in Germany, with sex-specific associations between education and loneliness. Overall, such knowledge can aid to address individuals with higher loneliness levels.

Bidirectional Association Between Internet Use and Episodic Memory Among Older Adults: A Longitudinal Mediation Study

Using nationally representative longitudinal data from three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we assessed whether social participation and mental health were channels through which internet use and episodic memory mutually influenced each other. Cross-lagged panel models with multiple mediators were employed for the mediation analysis. The results reveal that social participation and depressive symptoms were mechanisms underlying the internet-cognition interplay. Among men, an increased chance of contacting friends served as a pathway connecting internet use with better episodic memory. Conversely, men with better episodic memory were more likely to use the internet partially due to their higher chances of having contact with friends and engaging in group activities. Among women, engagement in group activities and depressive symptoms were two channels through which internet use and episodic memory positively influenced each other. Our findings provide practical implications for slowing cognitive aging and narrowing the digital divide.

Social Media Use and Daily Well-Being: The Role of Quantity and Quality of Social Support

There have been mixed findings on whether social media use is positively or negatively related to well-being. Using the Midlife in the United States Refresher study (N = 782, age 25-75), multilevel structural equation modeling examined social support quantity (time giving and receiving) and quality of as mediators at both the within- (intraindividual) and between-person (interindividual) levels. Giving support significantly mediated at within- and between-person levels: more social media use was associated with more time giving support and worse well-being. Receiving support significantly mediated at the between-person level: more social media use was associated with more time receiving support and worse well-being. When examining social support quality as a mediator, findings showed that more social media use to contact family/friends was related to better social support quality and better well-being. Results added to our understanding of the relationship between social media use and well-being by considering the role of social support quantity/quality.

Internet use, physical activity and depressive symptoms in older adults: A cross-lagged panel analysis

BACKGROUND

Existing cross-sectional studies suggest a strong positive association between Internet use, physical activity, and mental health in older adults; however, longitudinal studies reporting the relationship between Internet use, physical activity, and levels of depressive symptoms in older adults are lacking. This study aimed to examine the bidirectional relationship between Internet use and depressive symptoms in older adults and its underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

We used two waves of follow-up data (2016 and 2018) from the China Family Panel Studies, including 5837 participants aged 60 years or above. The bidirectional relationship between Internet usage time and depressive symptoms was examined using a cross-lagged model. The mediating role of physical exercise was examined using a half-longitudinal mediation model.

RESULTS

The results revealed a bidirectional relationship between Internet use time, frequency of physical activity, and depressive symptoms. Longer Internet use predicted lower levels of depressive symptoms, and the frequency of physical activity mediated the longitudinal relationship between Internet use and depressive symptoms in older adults.

LIMITATIONS

First, our study used self-report-based variables. Second, our study did not obtain the specific timing of the application of various functions of the Internet and the intensity of physical activity among older adults. Finally, based on the availability of data, our study involved only two waves of data. This may not be sufficient for a full longitudinal mediation effect test.

CONCLUSIONS

Internet use and depressive symptoms were interrelated over time among older adults. The frequency of physical activity was a mediator of Internet use and depressive symptoms. This underscores the importance of Internet-based technologies to enable healthy living and prevent depression and loneliness in older adults.

Internet Use in Very Old Age: The Role of the Social Context and Individual Characteristics

The social context plays an important role in very old age. However, little is known about its relationship with internet use, whereas individual characteristics (e.g., sociodemographic variables, and health status) are better studied. Still, representative studies for the oldest old are missing. Therefore, this study analyzes the relationship between social context variables and individual characteristics with internet use in a representative sample of oldest old from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (N = 1,862; Mage = 85.43, SDage = 4.15). Descriptive statistics reveal differences between oldest old onliners and offliners regarding their social context and individual characteristics. Logistic regression analyses show that the significant role of the social context (family and living situation, social contacts and activities) diminishes after adding individual characteristics to the model, which appear to be significantly related to internet use. The results indicate an association of social context variables and individual characteristics with internet use in very old age.

Collective loneliness: The impact of the social network on loneliness and depression during the coronavirus pandemic in older Europeans

OBJECTIVES

We examined the impact of the social network before the coronavirus pandemic on loneliness and depressed mood during the pandemic in older European individuals, and how these relationships differ between different European countries.

METHODS

Data of N = 19,999 persons (age: M = 69.18 years; 51% female) from the pan-European longitudinal survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe, interviewed between October 2019 and March 2020 (Wave 8) and between June and August 2020 (Corona Questionnaire 1), were used. To test the models we employed path analyses, controlling for age, gender, education, and occupational status. Models were also run separately in collectivistic (Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, and Greece) and individualistic (Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and France) country groups.

RESULTS

A larger social network before the pandemic reduced the probability of an increase in loneliness and depression. The negative association between social network size and increase in loneliness was stronger in collectivist countries than in individualist ones. Moreover, an increase in loneliness increased the probability of feeling depressed.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that pre-pandemic social networks served as a buffer to negative mental health consequences of the pandemic in older Europeans. In fact, this association was stronger in collectivist than for individualist countries. While this underscores the importance of social connectedness, it also stresses the vulnerability of socially isolated individuals regarding loneliness and depression. Future work should thus focus on supporting social networks in older adults.

Influence of childhood trauma on adolescent internet addiction: The mediating roles of loneliness and negative coping styles

BACKGROUND

In the information age, the use of the internet and multimedia tools has large effects on the life of middle school students. Improper use of the internet may result in internet addiction (IA). Thus, actively exploring the factors influencing adolescent and the mechanism of addiction as well as promoting adolescent physical and mental health and academic development are priorities that families, schools, and society urgently need to address.

AIM

To explore the effect of childhood trauma on adolescent IA and to consider the roles of loneliness and negative coping styles.

METHODS

A total of 11310 students from six junior high schools in Henan, China, completed the child trauma questionnaire, IA test, loneliness scale, and simple coping style questionnaire. In addition, data were collected from 1044 adolescents with childhood trauma for analysis with IBM SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 28.0; we examined the relationships among childhood trauma, IA, loneliness, and negative coping styles.

RESULTS

We found that childhood trauma not only directly affected adolescents' IA but also affected IA through loneliness and negative coping styles.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, this study has theoretical implications regarding adolescent mental health and may inform interventions for IA.