Chapter 12 – Survey Report on Internet Use among Senior Citizens in China

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olfa Bouzaabia ◽  
Rym Bouzaabia ◽  
Alexandru Capatina

The aim of this paper is to investigate and compare the determinants of Internet use by senior generation among Tunisian and Romanian context that have different economic and cultural backgrounds. Research data were taken from a survey carried out on 400 online senior citizens (200 Tunisian and 200 Romanian). Data were analyzed by using confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. Results show that cognitive age, Familial Loneliness and Social Anxiety have a significant effect on internet use for surfing and seeking information and not for buying. It was also found in the Romania sample the most determinant of internet use was Familial loneliness, while, social Anxiety was the most determinant of internet use, in the Tunisian sample.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Sun ◽  
Yuxiang Chris Zhao ◽  
Xiaofeng Tao ◽  
Junjie Zhou ◽  
Qianqian Liu

BACKGROUND Although existing studies report that Internet use can help senior citizens coping with depressive symptoms, so far limited studies have explored the impacts of Internet use on urban and rural senior citizens’ depression symptoms. OBJECTIVE This study aims to address the above gap and explore the impacts of Internet use on urban and rural senior citizens’ depressive symptoms in China. METHODS We use the data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). We use the panel-data regression to examine the relationship between Internet use and depression. In order to obtain robust evidence, we built a treatment group by selecting senior citizens who did not use the Internet in 2013 (Wave 2) but did use it in 2015 (Wave 4), and a control group by selecting senior citizens who did not use the Internet in either Wave based on the propensity score matching (PSM) approach. We then examined the impacts of Internet use with linear regression analysis based on the difference-in-difference (DID) approach. RESULTS The empirical results indicate that Internet use could significantly alleviate rural senior citizens’ depression (β=-2.187, P=.006). The Frequency of Online have consistent effect on depression (β= -1.091, P=.001). In addition, the impacts of Internet use on rural senior citizens’ three specific depressive symptoms are significant (“I had trouble keeping my mind on what I was doing”, β= -0.537, P=.008; “I felt depressed”, β= -0.315, P=.014; “I felt everything I did was an effort”, β= -0.355, P=.021). The propensity score matching and difference-in-difference analysis is consistent with the results of panel date regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS Urban-rural differences exist in the impacts of Internet use on senior citizens’ depressive symptoms. Rural senior citizens’ depressive symptoms can be alleviated by Internet use and the frequency of Internet use. Policy makers should provide rural senior citizens more opportunities to access the Internet and more Internet-skill trainings to enable them to better utilize the Internet.


Author(s):  
Nelly Elias

This chapter analyzes how the need to preserve ethnic identity and affiliation with one’s homeland is expressed and fulfilled through Internet use by two distinctive groups of immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Israel: Immigrant youngsters aged 12-18, and immigrant senior citizens aged 65 and above. The aim of such simultaneous examination is not to identify the obvious intergenerational differences in Internet use but rather to increase our understanding of the Internet roles for different groups of immigrant users, irrespective of age. The findings are based on two recent studies: A study conducted in 2006 with 70 immigrant adolescents and a study conducted in 2009 with 32 seniors. Both studies reveal important similarities that shed light on the Internet’s role in maintaining connection with one’s country and culture of origin and preserving homeland identity among different generations of immigrants.


Author(s):  
Carolin Szász-Janocha ◽  
Eva Vonderlin ◽  
Katajun Lindenberg

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Das junge Störungsbild der Computerspiel- und Internetabhängigkeit hat in den vergangenen Jahren in der Forschung zunehmend an Aufmerksamkeit gewonnen. Durch die Aufnahme der „Gaming Disorder“ in die ICD-11 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) wurde die Notwendigkeit von evidenzbasierten und wirksamen Interventionen avanciert. PROTECT+ ist ein kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutisches Gruppentherapieprogramm für Jugendliche mit Symptomen der Computerspiel- und Internetabhängigkeit. Die vorliegende Studie zielt auf die Evaluation der mittelfristigen Effekte nach 4 Monaten ab. Methodik: N = 54 Patientinnen und Patienten im Alter von 9 bis 19 Jahren (M = 13.48; SD = 1.72) nahmen an der Frühinterventionsstudie zwischen April 2016 und Dezember 2017 in Heidelberg teil. Die Symptomschwere wurde zu Beginn, zum Abschluss der Gruppentherapie sowie nach 4 Monaten anhand von standardisierten Diagnostikinstrumenten erfasst. Ergebnisse: Mehrebenenanalysen zeigten eine signifikante Reduktion der Symptomschwere anhand der Computerspielabhängigkeitsskala (CSAS) nach 4 Monaten. Im Selbstbeurteilungsbogen zeigte sich ein kleiner Effekt (d = 0.35), im Elternurteil ein mittlerer Effekt (d = 0.77). Der Reliable Change Index, der anhand der Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) berechnet wurde, deutete auf eine starke Heterogenität im individuellen Symptomverlauf hin. Die Patientinnen und Patienten bewerteten das Programm zu beiden Follow-Up-Messzeitpunkten mit einer hohen Zufriedenheit. Schlussfolgerungen: Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt international eine der wenigen Studien dar, die eine Reduktion der Symptome von Computerspiel- und Internetabhängigkeit im Jugendalter über 4 Monate belegen konnte.


Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 348-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajime Sueki

Background: Previous studies have shown that suicide-related Internet use can have both negative and positive psychological effects. Aims: This study examined the effect of suicide-related Internet use on users’ suicidal ideation, depression/anxiety tendency, and loneliness. Method: A two-wave panel study of 850 Internet users was conducted via the Internet. Results: Suicide-related Internet use (e.g., browsing websites about suicide methods) had negative effects on suicidal ideation and depression/anxiety tendency. No forms of suicide-related Internet use, even those that would generally be considered positive, were found to decrease users’ suicidal ideation. In addition, our results suggest that the greater the suicidal ideation and feelings of depression and loneliness of Internet users, the more they used the Internet. Conclusion: Since suicide-related Internet use can adversely influence the mental health of young adults, it is necessary to take measures to reduce their exposure to such information.


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