How Digital Self-Efficacy Reduces Social Isolation and Enhances Self-Esteem Among Older Adults in Emerging Economies: Evidence from PLS-SEM
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51325/k16wrr08Keywords:
Self-Efficacy on Social Media; Social Media Informational Usage; Social Isolation; Self-Esteem; Elderly; PLS-SEMAbstract
This research focuses on the role of social media self-efficacy in shaping social media usage and its relationship with the psychological impact on older adults. Most studies have treated social media use as a homogeneous activity. Using digital aging theory as a framework, this study conceptualizes the usage of informational social media as a specialized behavioral mechanism and investigates its impacts through digital self-efficacy, perceived social isolation, and self-esteem. This study collected survey data from 300 older adults and employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to develop and test a structural model with comprehensive direct and indirect relationships.
This study found social media self-efficacy has a positive impact on the informational use of social media (β = 0.562). Informational use, in turn, significantly reduces perceived social isolation (β = −0.291) and enhances self-esteem (β = 0.41). Additionally, social media self-efficacy directly impacts the perception of social isolation (β = -0.27) and self-esteem (β = 0.34), and therefore has a partial mediation effect. The structural model provides a moderate explanatory power and strong predictive relevance for key psychological outcomes.
The study furthers digital aging theory by separating and documenting a pathway that has been largely overlooked by researchers that analyses digital self-efficacy and psychological resilience, and applies it to older adults. The findings have important policy implications, suggesting that promoting information-focused digital competencies among older adults can reduce social exclusion and improve quality of life, particularly in developing and emerging economies.
References
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
Compeau, D. R., & Higgins, C. A. (1995). Computer self-efficacy: Development of a measure and initial test. MIS Quarterly, 19(2), 189–211. https://doi.org/10.2307/249688 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/249688
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). SAGE. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7
Ringle, C. M., Wende, S., & Becker, J.-M. (2015). SmartPLS 3 [Computer software]. SmartPLS GmbH. https://www.smartpls.com
Czaja, S. J., Charness, N., Fisk, A. D., Hertzog, C., Nair, S. N., Rogers, W. A., & Sharit, J. (2006). Factors predicting the use of technology: Findings from the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE). Psychology and Aging, 21(2), 333–352. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.21.2.333 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.21.2.333
Chen, Y.-R. R., & Schulz, P. J. (2016). The effect of information communication technology interventions on reducing social isolation in the elderly: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(1), e18. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4596 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4596
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614568352 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614568352
Hunsaker, A., & Hargittai, E. (2018). A review of Internet use among older adults. New Media & Society, 20(10), 393–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818787348 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818787348
Quan-Haase, A., Mo, G. Y., & Wellman, B. (2017). Connected seniors: How older adults in East York exchange social support online and offline. Information, Communication & Society, 20(7), 967–983. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1305428 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1305428
Leist, A. K. (2013). Social media use of older adults: A mini-review. Gerontology, 59(4), 378–384. https://doi.org/10.1159/000346818 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000346818
Niu, Z., Guo, C., Zhang, Y., & Li, X. (2021). Associations of health literacy, health-related social media use, self-efficacy, and health behavioral intentions among social media users in China: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(2), e19134. https://doi.org/10.2196/19134 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/19134
Jia, W., Liu, L., & Peng, G. (2024). The impact of social media on users’ self-efficacy and loneliness: An analysis of the mediating mechanism of social support. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 17, 593–612. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S449079 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S449079
Kebede, A. S., Ozolins, L., Holst, H., & Galvin, K. (2022). Digital engagement of older adults: A scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(12), e40192. https://doi.org/10.2196/40192 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/40192
Du, J. T., Zhou, Y., & Xu, F. (2020). Digital engagement and older adults’ well-being: A systematic review. Information Processing & Management, 57(6), 102343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2020.102343 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2020.102343
Rui, J. R. (2022). Social media, self-concept, and well-being: Evidence and measurement issues. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 5, 100140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100140 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100140
Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Sinkovics, R. R., & Sinkovics, N. (2023). A perspective on using PLS-SEM in data articles. Data in Brief, 48, 109074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109074 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109074
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400876136
Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y. L., & Xu, X. (2012). Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157–178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/41410412
Cotten, S. R., Schuster, A. M., & Seifert, A. (2022). Social media use and well-being among older adults: Current knowledge and research gaps. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.12.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.12.005
Kim, M., Oh, J., & Kim, B. (2021). Experience of digital music services and digital self-efficacy among older adults: Enjoyment and anxiety as mediators. Technology in Society, 67, 101773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101773 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101773
Marzan, M. D., Stamate, D., & Mărzan, O. (2024). Digital competence among older adults: Is self-assessment reliable? Cureus, 16(11), e304614.https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.73543 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.73543
Cho, J. (2024). The role of digital literacy and self-efficacy in older adults’ online behaviors. Innovations in Aging.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 kiran katepogu, Tadipigari Mahesh Babu, Challa, Arti Singh,, Rajeswari B (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
