Shapira N, Barak A, Gal I
University of Haifa, Israel.
Aging Ment Health. 2007 Sep;11(5):477-84. doi: 10.1080/13607860601086546.
The purpose of the current research was to test the psychological impact of learning how to use computers and the Internet in old age, hypothesizing that such activities would contribute to seniors' well-being and personal sense of empowerment. Employing a quasi-experimental research design, we offered a course, conducted in small groups, in computer operation and Internet browsing to 22 older adults (mean age of 80) who went to day-care centers for the elderly or resided in nursing homes. A comparison group of 26 participants (similar in all major respects) was engaged in other activities. Both groups were administered measures of physical functioning, life satisfaction, depression, loneliness and self-control at pre- and post-intervention four months later. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who finished the computer course. ANCOVA was employed for controlling the effects of control variables and pre-intervention differences on participants who completed the activities. Results showed a significant improvement among participants in the intervention group in all measures except physical functioning, whereas deterioration in all measures was detected in the comparison group. Computer and Internet use seems to contribute to older adults' well-being and sense of empowerment by affecting their interpersonal interactions, promoting their cognitive functioning and contributing to their experience of control and independence.
当前研究的目的是测试老年人学习如何使用计算机和互联网所产生的心理影响,假设这些活动将有助于老年人的幸福感和个人赋权感。采用准实验研究设计,我们为22名前往老年人日托中心或居住在养老院的老年人(平均年龄80岁)提供了一个小组授课的计算机操作和互联网浏览课程。一个由26名参与者组成的对照组(在所有主要方面都相似)参与了其他活动。两组在干预前和四个月后的干预后都接受了身体功能、生活满意度、抑郁、孤独和自我控制方面的测量。对完成计算机课程的参与者进行了个体半结构化访谈。采用协方差分析来控制控制变量和干预前差异对完成活动的参与者的影响。结果显示,干预组参与者在除身体功能外的所有测量指标上都有显著改善,而对照组在所有测量指标上都出现了恶化。计算机和互联网的使用似乎通过影响老年人的人际互动、促进他们的认知功能以及增强他们的控制感和独立感,从而有助于老年人的幸福感和赋权感。