Uses and Gratifications Sought From Mobile Phones and Loneliness Among Japanese Midlife and Older Adults: A Mediation Analysis
Year: 2018
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mobile phone use is increasing among older adults, yet few studies have examined how the various purposes for which mobile phones are used affect loneliness and through what mechanisms. This study aims to address the gap by examining if different uses and gratifications of mobile phone are associated with loneliness and whether there is a mediation effect through face-to-face social interaction. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants included 1,318 mobile phone users drawn from a national probability sample of Japanese middle-aged (65% aged 40-64 years) and older adults (35% aged 65 years or older) in 2011. Ordinary Least Squares regression and mediation analyses were used. RESULTS: < .01); some effects varied by age and mobile phone feature use. Further, sociability was associated with increased face-to-face social interaction, which was, in turn, associated with reduced loneliness. Passing time, however, was related to reduced face-to-face interaction and, in turn, an increased sense of loneliness. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Although it is not possible to determine causality from this cross-sectional design, it is possible that the various purposes for which mobile phones are used (specifically sociability and passing time) partially affect loneliness through their effects on either increasing or decreasing face-to-face social interaction. Recommendations for enhancing positive and reducing negative effects of mobile phone usage are discussed.
Source: Innovation in Aging
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,977
OpenAlex ID: W2900731910