Influence of Internet Use on Older Adults ' Perceived Social Support, Depression, and Life Satisfaction

The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of internet use on older adults' perceived social support, depression, and life satisfaction. The sample was derived from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). The sample consists of 493 participants born before the year 1964 (Mage = 60.65, SD = 6.87). Social cognitive theory will be used as a framework for examining internet use and its influence on environmental and personal factors. One hypothesis was not supported by the data; 1) the amount and type of internet use was negatively associated with perceived social support, life satisfaction, and level of depression. The second hypothesis was supported; 2) participants who indicated that they use the internet for interacting with others perceived a higher level of social support than those who indicated they do not use the internet for interacting with others. The findings of this study add valuable insight into the potential adoption of internet usage as a mechanism for increased health and wellness for older adults.