Balki Eric, Hayes Niall, Holland Carol
Centre for Ageing Research, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
The Directorate, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Front Aging. 2023 Jun 26;4:1184386. doi: 10.3389/fragi.2023.1184386. eCollection 2023.
This study investigated how psychological resilience influenced greater technology use among older adults, and whether they moderated the impact of social isolation on loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also explored whether technology mediates the impact of psychological resilience on loneliness. To explain the relationship between variables, the research drew upon the socio-emotional selective theory, which posits the notion that older adults are more focused on current and emotionally important relationships and goals concerning emotional regulation goals such as psychological well-being. Using a cross-sectional observational design, data were collected from 92 residents aged 65 to 89 in England from March 2020 to June 2021. Participants completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Technology Experience Questionnaire, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Lubben Social Network Index. Pearson correlation, mediation and moderation analyses were conducted to investigate the hypotheses. Most participants experienced moderate to severe levels of loneliness, displaying higher levels than pre-pandemic. Psychological resilience predicted greater technology use, and lower levels of loneliness. Technology was found to mediate the relationship between psychological resilience and loneliness. Neither technology use, nor psychological resilience was found to moderate the impact of social isolation on loneliness. Findings suggested that strategies directed towards screening older adults for psychological resilience levels and low technology experience may help identify those most at risk for adapting poorly when exposed to stressors in situations like the Covid-19 pandemic. Early interventions can be initiated to increase psychological resilience and technology use, including empirical interventions, that may help decrease loneliness, especially in times of elevated risks for loneliness.
本研究调查了心理韧性如何影响老年人更多地使用科技，以及在新冠疫情期间心理韧性和科技使用是否缓和了社会隔离对孤独感的影响。我们还探讨了科技是否介导了心理韧性对孤独感的影响。为了解释变量之间的关系，该研究借鉴了社会情感选择性理论，该理论认为老年人更关注当前以及与情感调节目标（如心理健康）相关的情感重要关系和目标。采用横断面观察设计，于2020年3月至2021年6月从英国92名65至89岁的居民中收集数据。参与者完成了康纳-戴维森韧性量表、科技体验问卷、加州大学洛杉矶分校孤独感量表和鲁本社会网络指数。进行了皮尔逊相关性、中介和调节分析以检验假设。大多数参与者经历了中度至重度孤独感，且高于疫情前水平。心理韧性预示着更多地使用科技以及更低的孤独感水平。研究发现科技介导了心理韧性与孤独感之间的关系。未发现科技使用和心理韧性缓和社会隔离对孤独感的影响。研究结果表明，针对筛查老年人心理韧性水平和低科技体验的策略，可能有助于识别出在新冠疫情等情况下暴露于压力源时适应能力最差的人群。可以启动早期干预措施来提高心理韧性和科技使用，包括实证干预，这可能有助于减少孤独感，尤其是在孤独风险升高时期。
