Uses and gratifications sought from mobile phones and loneliness among Japanese midlife and older adults: A mediation analysis

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Mobile phone use is increasing among older adults, yet few studies have examined how the various purposes for which mobile phones are used affect loneliness and through what mechanisms. This study aims to address the gap by examining if different uses and gratifications of mobile phone are associated with loneliness and whether there is a mediation effect through face-to-face social interaction. Research Design and Methods: Participants included 1,318 mobile phone users drawn from a national probability sample of Japanese middle-aged (65% aged 40-64 years) and older adults (35% aged 65 years or older) in 2011. Ordinary Least Squares regression and mediation analyses were used. Results: Regression analyses revealed that using a mobile phone for sociability purposes was associated with decreased loneliness (b =-0.10, p