Better Together: Technology-Use Gaps and Loneliness in Older Adults

Loneliness is a growing public health concern among older adults, underscoring the need to better understand the complex interplay of factors associated with it. Although technology can enhance social connectedness, limited attention has been given to discrepancies between desired and actual technology use in daily life. This study examined loneliness, focusing on perceived technology-use gaps alongside health-related factors, including depressive symptoms, sleep quality, functional cognition, and sensorimotor abilities. Participants included 211 adults aged 65 to 87, who completed the de Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Daily Living Questionnaire, selected items from the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning-Enhanced, and the Daily Technology-Use Gap questionnaire. Spearman correlations and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted. Loneliness was significantly associated with all variables (r = -0.64 to -0.32, p < 0.01-0.001). The SEM demonstrated good fit (comparative fit index = 0.986, root mean square error of approximation = 0.068). Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with loneliness, whereas technology-use gaps were identified as significant mediators in the proposed SEM, linking health-related factors and loneliness. These findings highlight a shift from focusing on technology access to understanding the quality and satisfaction of technology use in daily life.