Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Many social activities moved online during the global COVID-19 pandemic, yet research investigating whether virtual social interactions facilitate social connectedness has been inconclusive. In this study, participants completed online questionnaires assessing objective social isolation, loneliness,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000259 |
| _version_ | 1798040896234586112 |
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| author | Emily Towner Livia Tomova Danielle Ladensack Kristen Chu Bridget Callaghan |
| author_facet | Emily Towner Livia Tomova Danielle Ladensack Kristen Chu Bridget Callaghan |
| author_sort | Emily Towner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many social activities moved online during the global COVID-19 pandemic, yet research investigating whether virtual social interactions facilitate social connectedness has been inconclusive. In this study, participants completed online questionnaires assessing objective social isolation, loneliness, mental health, and virtual social interactions. There was clear evidence for worsening mental health among emerging adults during the COVID-19 pandemic characterized by large increases in depressive symptoms (mean increase = 8.35, 95% CI [6.97, 9.73], t(118) = 118, p < .001), and large decrements in happiness (mean decrease = -0.71, 95% CI [-0.84, -0.57], t(118) = 10.09, p < .001) and social satisfaction (mean decrease = -0.81, 95% CI [-1.00,-0.62], t(115) = 8.28, p < .001) post-pandemic onset. In line with expectations, those living in larger households amid the pandemic reported lower levels of loneliness and higher levels of happiness. A negative association was found between household size (an index of objective social isolation) and loneliness, b = -3.01, t(79) = 2.60, p = .011, 95% CI [-5.32, -0.71], and a positive association was found between household size and happiness, b = 22.86, t(75) = 3.30, p = .001, 95% CI [9.06, 36.65]. However, contrary to expectations, there was no association between loneliness and frequency of virtual social interactions. There was also no association between frequency of virtual social interactions and either happiness or depression. More research investigating social connectedness in the context of virtual social interactions is warranted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:14:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d04b8fcd8df14509b21d5744794c4260 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6227 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:14:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d04b8fcd8df14509b21d5744794c42602022-12-22T04:00:28ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Ecological and Social Psychology2666-62272022-01-013100058Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemicEmily Towner0Livia Tomova1Danielle Ladensack2Kristen Chu3Bridget Callaghan4University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology; Corresponding author at: University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3 EB, United Kingdom.University of Cambridge, Department of PsychologyUniversity of California, Los Angeles, Department of PsychologyUniversity of California, Los Angeles, Department of PsychologyUniversity of California, Los Angeles, Department of PsychologyMany social activities moved online during the global COVID-19 pandemic, yet research investigating whether virtual social interactions facilitate social connectedness has been inconclusive. In this study, participants completed online questionnaires assessing objective social isolation, loneliness, mental health, and virtual social interactions. There was clear evidence for worsening mental health among emerging adults during the COVID-19 pandemic characterized by large increases in depressive symptoms (mean increase = 8.35, 95% CI [6.97, 9.73], t(118) = 118, p < .001), and large decrements in happiness (mean decrease = -0.71, 95% CI [-0.84, -0.57], t(118) = 10.09, p < .001) and social satisfaction (mean decrease = -0.81, 95% CI [-1.00,-0.62], t(115) = 8.28, p < .001) post-pandemic onset. In line with expectations, those living in larger households amid the pandemic reported lower levels of loneliness and higher levels of happiness. A negative association was found between household size (an index of objective social isolation) and loneliness, b = -3.01, t(79) = 2.60, p = .011, 95% CI [-5.32, -0.71], and a positive association was found between household size and happiness, b = 22.86, t(75) = 3.30, p = .001, 95% CI [9.06, 36.65]. However, contrary to expectations, there was no association between loneliness and frequency of virtual social interactions. There was also no association between frequency of virtual social interactions and either happiness or depression. More research investigating social connectedness in the context of virtual social interactions is warranted.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000259COVID-19Emerging adulthoodMental healthVirtual social interactionLonelinessSocial isolation |
| spellingShingle | Emily Towner Livia Tomova Danielle Ladensack Kristen Chu Bridget Callaghan Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology COVID-19 Emerging adulthood Mental health Virtual social interaction Loneliness Social isolation |
| title | Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 Emerging adulthood Mental health Virtual social interaction Loneliness Social isolation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000259 |
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