The relationship between social media interaction quality and loneliness in older adults: the moderating role of perceived social support.

OBJECTIVE

Moving beyond the traditional focus on social media frequency, this study examines the cross-sectional association between perceived social media interaction quality and loneliness among older adults, and the moderating role of perceived social support. This study seeks to provide associational evidence to inform future research.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey recruited 512 social media-using Chinese older adults aged ≥60. Data were collected using an adapted Social Media Interaction Quality item set, an adapted 6-item UCLA-based loneliness measure, and an abbreviated perceived social support scale (MSPSS). Analyses employed Latent Moderated Structural Equation Modeling and Quantile Regression.

RESULTS

Adjusting for demographics, social media interaction quality was negatively associated with loneliness (β = -0.32, p < 0.001); Perceived social support positive moderating this relationship (β = 0.12, p < 0.001), the negative was stronger among older adults with lower perceived social support. Quantile regression indicated the negative association remained broadly stable across the loneliness distribution though modestly attenuated at the highest quantile (Q90: -0.22 vs. Q10: -0.34).

CONCLUSION

The psychological correlates of older adults' social media use might depend more on interaction quality than quantity Given the cross-sectional design, these findings provide associational evidence-not causal proof-that high-quality online interaction relates to lower loneliness. Future longitudinal research is needed to test interventions among socially vulnerable groups.