Are Internet and Social Network Usage Associated with Wellbeing and Social Inclusion of Seniors? – The Third Age Online Survey on Digital Media Use in Three European Countries

Research on the psychosocial effects of Internet and social network
usage in seniors is either contradictory or sparse. As part of the Third Age On�line project, this paper reports a cross-sectional survey conducted in Germany,
the Netherlands and in Switzerland. The survey, utilizing regression analysis,
examined whether or not social inclusion and mental wellbeing were predictors
of Internet usage and social network usage. Results showed that social inclusion
variables were associated with both Internet usage and social network usage. In�ternet usage was associated with respondents who were both less and more so�cially included. Mental wellbeing was positively related to Internet usage but
not to social network usage. In further studies, longitudinal designs are needed
to reveal the directions of causality between Internet/social network usage and
mental wellbeing/social inclusion.
Keywords: Internet, social networks, mental wellbeing, social inclusion, elderly.