Age, Loneliness, and Social Media Use in Adults during COVID-19: A Latent Profile Analysis.

Loneliness has been linked to morbidity and mortality across the lifespan. Social media could reduce loneliness, though research on the relation between social media and loneliness has been inconclusive. This study used person-centered analyses to elucidate the inconsistencies in the literature and examine the possible role technology barriers played in the relation between social media use and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n = 929; M age = 57.58 ± 17.33) responded to a series of online questions covering demographics, loneliness, technology barriers, and social media use (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.) across a range of devices (e.g., computer, smartphone, etc.). A latent profile analysis was conducted to identify distinct profiles of social media use, loneliness patterns, and age. Results yielded five distinct profiles characterized that showed no systematic associations among age, social media use, and loneliness. Demographic characteristics and technology barriers also differed between profiles and were associated with loneliness. In conclusion, person-centered analyses demonstrated distinct groups of older and younger adults that differed on social media use and loneliness and may offer more fruitful insights over variable-centered approaches (e.g., regression/correlation). Technology barriers may be a viable target for reducing loneliness in adults.

The frequency of self-reported memory failures is influenced by everyday context across the lifespan: implications for neuropsychology research and clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of contextual factors on self-reports of cognitive abilities, this study investigated whether the frequency of self-reported memory failures was affected by level of daily busyness (Busyness) and daily routines (Routine) and whether age moderated these relations. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-reported memory failures also was explored. Method: 902 community-dwelling participants (mean age= 56.98 years; sd= 18.96; range: 22-97 years) completed self-report questionnaires. Multiple linear regressions examined predictors of the frequency of retrospective (RM) and prospective memory (PM) failures and interactions with age. A pilot measure of the Influence of the Pandemic was added in secondary analyses. Results: Frequency of PM failures was significantly predicted by Age, Busyness, and Routine, such that people who were younger and those with busier and less routine activities reported more frequent PM failures. Frequency of RM failures was significantly predicted by Busyness, and the Age × Busyness and Age × Routine interactions. Busyness was associated with more frequent RM failures for people of all ages, but the effect was stronger for younger people. By contrast, more routine daily schedules were associated with fewer RM failures only for older people. PM/RM failures were predicted by the Influence of the Pandemic in exploratory analyses. Conclusions: Self-reports of cognitive abilities are influenced by contextual factors in adults of all ages. Contextual factors, including everyday task demands, daily routines, and acute stressors that disrupt daily activities, should be considered when interpreting self-reports of cognitive abilities in research and clinical practice settings.