Exploring the impact of online social participation on loneliness in older adults: Evidence from The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

As individuals age, mental and physical impairment can emerge and impact their well-being. Previous research on social participation in older adults has typically focused on specific activities or failed to distinguish between different forms of participation. In contrast, we propose that social participation is a resource optimization process for older adults, where various forms of participation must be optimized in order to improve well-being outcomes. Drawing on Selective Optimization with Compensation theory, we develop hypotheses on how older adults with cognitive decline select and optimize their social participation profile and how multiple modes of participation synergistically affect their perceived loneliness. Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), we test a polynomial model and find that online social participation has a U-shaped effect on loneliness, while personal-oriented offline social participation mitigates this effect. We also find that the impact of social participation modes varies considerably between younger and older groups. Our findings suggest im-plications for the design of integrative aging support programs and the use of ICT to promote mental well-being in different stages of advanced age.

Automated summary

As individuals age, their mental and physical health can deteriorate, affecting their well-being. Previous research only focused on specific social activities or did not differentiate between different forms of social participation among older adults. In contrast, our study proposes that older adults optimize various forms of social participation to improve their well-being. By analyzing data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, we found that online social participation has a U-shaped effect on loneliness, while personal-oriented offline social participation mitigates this effect. Our findings have implications for the design of comprehensive aging support programs and the use of information and communication technology to promote mental well-being in older adults.