Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2025

Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
The Effect of Displacement During Extreme Circumstances on Digital Engagement and Well-Being Among Older Adults
Ittay Mannheim1, Rinat Lifshitz2, Yaacov G Bachner3
1Department of Communications Studies (IM), Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel.
Objectives:
Currently, there are increasing instances of forced displacement due to extreme circumstances such as armed conflicts. Under threatening conditions, certain factors, such as displacement, can decrease one's well-being. On the other hand, specific capabilities and resources such as digital engagement, may serve as coping mechanisms. This study examines the associations between digital engagement and the well-being of older adults during armed conflict situations, comparing displaced persons to those who were not displaced.
Methods:
Ninety-three displaced and 150 nondisplaced older Israeli adults aged 60 and above completed an online or paper questionnaire two months after the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war on 7th of October 2023. Measurements included indicators of well-being (loneliness, depressive symptoms, subjective health, and sense of control), rocket threat, digital engagement, digital ageism, and socio-demographic characteristics.
Results:
Displaced older adults reported lower subjective health, higher levels of loneliness, and a diminished sense of control, compared to those not displaced. Following the war, individuals who were displaced reported using fewer digital devices, exhibited different patterns of use, and reported twice as many limitations in using technology. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that various aspects of digital engagement were associated with different well-being components, mitigating the initial negative effects of displacement on loneliness and subjective health.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the importance of digital engagement as a potential protective factor for the well-being of older adults during extreme circumstances such as armed conflicts.
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
Cognitive Dissonance
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Relationship Formation
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

