Research On The Relationship Between The Use Of WeChat And Loneliness In The Elderly

At present,the users of social media such as WeChat are gradually spreading to the older groups.More and more elderly people are using it,and it has even become an indispensable part of their lives.This study focused on whether the use of WeChat in the elderly can help to reduce their psychological loneliness.In this study,168 elderly people in the main urban area of Nanchang City were selected as the research objects through door-to-door survey.Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to investigate the relationship between the use of micro-messaging and loneliness among the elderly.The results showed that there was a significant negative correlation between the use of WeChat information browsing,chat communication and red envelope function and loneliness(correlation coefficient r was-0.371,-0.312and-0.245,respectively,P < 0.01).The use of WeChat communication function in the elderly could significantly negatively predict their loneliness level(B=-0.409,P <0.05).It can be inferred that for the elderly,the use of WeChat is an effective way to reduce their psychological loneliness level.The elderly can maintain or expand their contacts with the outside world by using WeChat to reduce their inner loneliness.