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How Does Smartphone Use Impact Loneliness in the Post-COVID Landscape in Japan?
Yu Kuramoto1, Honoka Nabeshima1, Mostafa Saidur Rahim Khan1
1School of Economics, Hiroshima University, 1-2-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 7398525, Hiroshima, Japan.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 26, 2024
Summary
In the post-COVID era, smartphone use impacts loneliness differently across age groups. While it increases loneliness risk for those 50-64, younger generations experience reduced loneliness with increased smartphone engagement.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Smartphone use became vital for communication during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
- Prior research linked pandemic smartphone use to reduced loneliness.
- The impact of smartphone use on loneliness in the post-COVID era remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between smartphone use and loneliness in the post-COVID era.
- To examine age-specific differences in this association.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of recent data from 2022 and 2023.
- Focus on the period following the active phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Main Results:
- In 2023, increased smartphone use correlated with higher loneliness risk in individuals aged 50-64.
- Conversely, younger generations showed decreased loneliness with higher smartphone use.
- Smartphones may help mitigate loneliness in younger demographics post-pandemic.
Conclusions:
- Smartphone's effect on loneliness is age-dependent in the post-COVID era.
- Younger individuals benefit from smartphone use in combating loneliness.
- Further research is needed to understand the nuances of digital communication and social connection.
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