%0 Journal Article %J Gerontologist %D 2021 %T Social Media Communication and Loneliness Among Older Adults: The Mediating Roles of Social Support and Social Contact. %A Zhang, Kunyu %A Kim, Kyungmin %A Nina M Silverstein %A Song, Qian %A Jeffrey A Burr %K Directed communication %K Emotional Health %K Internet use %K Social Networking Sites %X

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Social media communication offers a medium for helping older people stay socially and emotionally connected with others. This study investigated the association between social media communication with close social ties and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. The study also examined the mediating roles of social support and social contact.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Four waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (2010/2012 and 2014/2016) were used to address the research questions (N = 7,524). A path model was estimated to examine the association between social media communication and older adults' loneliness. We also examined whether the association between social media communication and loneliness was mediated by perceived social support from close social ties (children, other family members, and friends) and frequency of contact with social network members (phone, in-person contact, and writing letters/email).

RESULTS: The results showed that frequent social media communication was associated with lower levels of loneliness, adjusting for previous levels of loneliness. The relationship between social media communication and loneliness was mediated by perceived social support and social contact. Thus, social media communication was associated with higher levels of perceived social support and social contact, which were related to lower levels of loneliness among older adults.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggested that social media communication may be considered an intervention to reduce loneliness among older people by increasing levels of social support and social contact.

%B Gerontologist %V 61 %P 888-896 %G eng %N 6 %R 10.1093/geront/gnaa197 %0 Journal Article %J The Gerontologist %D 2020 %T Social Media Communication and Loneliness Among Older Adults: The Mediating Roles of Social Support and Social Contact %A Zhang, Kunyu %A Kim, Kyungmin %A Nina M Silverstein %A Song, Qian %A Jeffrey A Burr %K Directed communication %K Emotional Health %K Internet use %K Social Networking Sites %X Social media communication offers a medium for helping older people stay socially and emotionally connected with others. This study investigated the association between social media communication with close social ties and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. The study also examined the mediating roles of social support and social contact.Four waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (2010/2012 and 2014/2016) were used to address the research questions (N = 7,524). A path model was estimated to examine the association between social media communication and older adults’ loneliness. We also examined whether the association between social media communication and loneliness was mediated by perceived social support from close social ties (children, other family members, and friends) and frequency of contact with social network members (phone, in-person contact, and writing letters/email).The results showed that frequent social media communication was associated with lower levels of loneliness, adjusting for previous levels of loneliness. The relationship between social media communication and loneliness was mediated by perceived social support and social contact. Thus, social media communication was associated with higher levels of perceived social support and social contact, which were related to lower levels of loneliness among older adults.These findings suggested that social media communication may be considered an intervention to reduce loneliness among older people by increasing levels of social support and social contact. %B The Gerontologist %P gnaa197 %@ 0016-9013 %G eng %R https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa197 %0 Journal Article %J Aging & Mental Health %D 2020 %T Subjective well-being among male veterans in later life: The enduring effects of early life adversity. %A Mai See Yang %A Lien Quach %A Lee, Lewina O %A Avron Spiro III %A Jeffrey A Burr %K Adversity %K depression %K Life Satisfaction %K Military service %K Self-rated health %X

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between childhood and young adult adversities and later-life subjective well-being among older male veterans. We also explored whether early-life parent-child relationships and later-life social engagement served as moderators and mediators, respectively.

METHODS: Data were from the 2008 to 2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study for male veterans ( = 2026). Subjective well-being measures included depressive symptoms, self-rated health, and life satisfaction. Linear regression with the macro was employed to estimate the relationships.

RESULTS: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were positively associated with number of depressive symptoms and negatively related to life satisfaction. Combat exposure, a young adulthood adversity experience, was positively associated with depressive symptoms, but not with self-rated health or life satisfaction. Later-life social engagement mediated the relationship between ACEs and subjective well-being indices. Parent-child relationship quality did not moderate the association between the measures of adversity and any measure of subjective well-being.

DISCUSSION: Childhood adversity and combat exposure were related to worse later life subjective well-being. Also, later-life social engagement mediated the association of two early life adversity measures and subjective well-being. Future research should examine subjective well-being and early life adversity for female veterans and should employ more detailed information about combat exposure.

%B Aging & Mental Health %G eng %R 10.1080/13607863.2020.1842999 %0 Journal Article %J J Aging Health %D 2017 %T Social Activities, Incident Cardiovascular Disease, and Mortality. %A Sae Hwang Han %A Jane Tavares %A Evans, Molly %A Jane S Saczynski %A Jeffrey A Burr %K Aged %K Aged, 80 and over %K Cardiovascular Diseases %K Female %K Humans %K Incidence %K Leisure activities %K Logistic Models %K Male %K Middle Aged %K Retirement %K United States %X

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationships between social activities, incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), and non-CVD mortality among older adults in the United States.

METHOD: Data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2010) were employed. Two measures of social engagement, volunteering and informal helping, along with two measures of social participation, attendance at religious services and social group meetings, were included. Mediation models for health behaviors were estimated.

RESULTS: Multinomial logistic regression models demonstrated that volunteering provided the most consistent results in terms of a lower risk of incident CVD and mortality. Furthermore, volunteering at higher time commitments is related to lower CVD incidence and death; informally helping others at a modest time commitment is related to lower risk of death only. Health behaviors mediated the relationships. Social participation was not related to either CVD or mortality.

DISCUSSION: Social activity is a modifiable behavior that may be considered a potential health intervention.

%B J Aging Health %V 29 %P 268-288 %8 2017 Mar %G eng %U http://jah.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/03/03/0898264316635565.abstract %N 2 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26944804?dopt=Abstract %4 volunteering/heart disease/informal help/social groups/smoking/physical activity %$ 999999 %R 10.1177/0898264316635565