The Influence Of WeChat Usage On Loneliness Of Retired Elders:the Mediating Effect Of Attachment And Self-Efficacy

Loneliness refers to a lonely,friendless and unpleasant emotion that individuals feel isolated from society.As a negative psychological experience,it can seriously endanger people’s physical and mental health.Retired elders have a stronger sense of loneliness due to social environment and their own factors.In this study,we explored the influence of social network usage(taking We Chat as an example)on loneliness of retired elders,and then analyzed whether attachment and self-efficacy can play a mediating role.On the basis of the research results,through in-depth interviews,we have further investigated the attitudes of retired elders towards We Chat usage,as well as the promoting and obstructive factors that they have perceived,in order to provide research support for future interventions.In the Research 1,447 retired elders from 22 communities in Hangzhou were investigated by questionnaire.The survey tools included demographic variables,the UCLA loneliness scale,the self-compiled We Chat usage questionnaire,the Chinese version of attachment experience scale(ECR-CS)and the general self-efficacy scale.Research results:(1)The current situation of loneliness of retired elders in Hangzhou.The total score of loneliness of the subjects was 13.61 ± 4.41,higher than that of the similar sample literature,showing the high level of loneliness of the retired elders in Hangzhou.In terms of marital status,there was a significant difference in the sense of loneliness(p<0.05).The level of loneliness of divorced retired elders was significantly higher than that of married and widowed ones(p<0.5).In terms of perceived economic satisfaction,there was also a significant difference in the level of loneliness(p<0.05).(2)Analysis on the relationship between We Chat usage and loneliness of retired elders.According to the results,the We Chat usage and familiarity can exert a significant impact on the level of loneliness.The total score of loneliness had a very significant difference in the We Chat usage and familiarity(p<0.001).Moreover,the total score of loneliness had a very significant difference in the number of days of We Chat usage per week(p=0.01).(3)Further analysis and exploration on the mediating effect of attachment and self-efficacy between We Chat usage and loneliness.The research results have shown that the We Chat usage can significantly affect loneliness and present a significant negative correlation(β=-.23,C.R.=-4.86,p<0.001).Based on the mediating effect analysis,attachment and self-efficacy can play a partial mediating role,respectively.According to the Research 1,whether or not to use We Chat and the familiarity with We Chat can exert a significant impact on the level of loneliness.Furthermore,the intensity of We Chat usage is negatively correlated with loneliness,and attachment and self-efficacy can play a mediating role in the impact of We Chat usage on loneliness.This result indicated that We Chat is an effective way for retired elders to reduce their psychological loneliness,so that they can use We Chat to maintain or expand the contact with the outside society,and reduce their sense of loneliness.In that way,what are the obstacles for the We Chat usage in this group? What factors can promote or prevent them from using We Chat? In the Research 2,we conducted in-depth interviews with the retired elders to understand their attitude towards the We Chat usage,and then explored the promoting and obstructive factors.Based on the theory of planned behavior,we designed a semi-structured interview for12 retired elders aged 60 and above.The interview results were coded and analyzed according to the methodology of qualitative research.The research results have shown that most of the retired elders hold a positive attitude towards We Chat,and their use behaviors are mainly aimed at social motivation.The promoting factors mainly include their children’s support and social support.However,the obstructive factors include:the complexity of operational learning,the concerns about information security,and the physical dysfunction in the elderly,such as visual and tactile impairment.Therefore,it is of great importance in guiding We Chat and We Chat usage to improve the application for the elderly in the later stage.In conclusion,the We Chat usage can significantly affect the loneliness of retired elders,while attachment and self-efficacy exert a mediating effect on it.According the interview survey in the study,most of them always hold a positive attitude towards the We Chat usage,and they mainly use We Chat for social motivation.Moreover,the obstacle factors mainly lie in operational learning disabilities and physical dysfunction.The results of this study can provide a certain reference for reducing loneliness in the retired elderly group through the intervention of social network usage.