Can the internet reduce the loneliness of 50+ living alone?

Published online: 12 May 2020Living alone has been indicated as a key variable to explain loneliness in older adults. In contemporary society, where technology has become one of the main means of communication and personal interaction, has the internet influenced the relationship between living alone and loneliness? This paper aims to answer this research question by using a sample of 64,297 individuals who were surveyed in SHARE project wave 6 – in European countries with different welfare regimes (Portugal, Greece, Italy and Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Poland, Czech Republic; Slovenia, Estonia, and Croatia). The results of the regression analysis evidence the moderating role of the internet on the relationship between living alone and feelings of loneliness in individuals aged 50 and over, so that the impact of living alone on loneliness is diminished for internet users as compared to their peers who do not use the internet. The results therefore reinforce the importance of policies aimed at fostering e-inclusion as a way of reducing the loneliness of older adultsThis work was supported by European Commission; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia; U.S National Institute on Aging; Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian; German Ministry of Education and Researc

Problematic Internet Use and Loneliness: How Complex Is the Relationship? A Short Literature Review

Purpose The Internet has become embedded into the life of billions of people worldwide. In some individuals, excessive Internet use impacts negatively on psychological and social functioning. Several studies over the last decades have focused on the relationship between Problematic Internet Use (PIU) and loneliness. The present review aims to provide an overview of the recent literature in this field and to suggest some critical questions. Recent Findings A small-medium positive association between loneliness and PIU has been reported in several cross-sectional studies. However, the association becomes weaker when other variables are controlled for. Longitudinal studies suggest a dynamic relationship between PIU and loneliness. Summary There is ample evidence that PIU and loneliness are positively associated, but care should be taken to control for other related variables (e.g., depression). Over time, PIU and loneliness seem to be linked in a vicious cycle, with PIU as a possible starting point