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Cited by 82Technology Use by Older AdultsHealth disparities and outcomesImpact of Technology on Adolescents

Using skype to beat the blues: Longitudinal data from a national representative sample

Teo, Alan R., Markwardt, Sheila, Hinton, Ladson·2019·The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
DOI 10.1016/j.jagp.2018.10.014
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Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to determine whether use of certain types of online communication technology is associated with subsequent depressive symptoms. Design Nationally representative, population-based prospective cohort. Setting Data were obtained from the 2012 and 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Participants 1,424 community-residing older adults (mean age, 64.8) in the United States. Measurements We examined associations between use of four communication technologies (email, social networks, video chat, and instant messaging) in 2012 and depressive symptoms (eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale) at two-year follow-up. Results 564 participants (39.6%) did not use any communication technologies, 314 (22.1%) used email only, and 255 (17.9%) used video chat (e.g., Skype). Compared to non-users (13.1%, 95% CI: 9.5-16.7%) or those who used only email (14.3%, 95% CI: 10.1-18.5%), users of video chat had approximately half the probability of depressive symptoms (6.9%, 95% CI: 3.5-10.3%, Wald Chi 2 test, Chi 2(1)=13.82, p < 0.001; 7.6%, 95% CI: 3.6-11.6, Wald Chi 2 test, Chi 2(1)=13.56, p < 0.001). Use of email, social media, and instant messaging were not associated with a lower risk of depression. Conclusions Older adults who use video chat such as Skype, but not other common communication technologies, have a lower risk of developing depression.

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  • There was some evidence across studies that interventions focused on using video chat/video conferencing, especially with family members, were more effective in relieving older adults' loneliness and depressive symptoms than other functions of social media.

    “Further, there was some evidence across studies that interventions focused on using video chat/video conferencing (also especially with family members) were more effective in relieving older adults' loneliness and depressive symptoms than other functions of social media (Teo et al., 2019, Tsai et al., 2010;Tsai & Tsai, 2011;Tsai et al., 2020).”

    From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Teo et al., 2019

  • Longitudinal studies on depression were mixed: two reported that social media use predicted fewer depressive symptoms over time, and two showed no association between social media use over time and depressive symptoms.

    “However, the results from the longitudinal studies were mixed, with two of the studies reporting that social media use predicted fewer depressive symptoms over time (Nakagomi et al., 2022;Teo et al., 2019) and two studies showing no association between social media use over time and depressive symptoms (Ang et al., 2019;Schwaba et al., 2021).”

    From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Teo et al., 2019

  • In Teo et al. (2019), social network users did not differ from other modality users in terms of depressive symptoms at 2-year follow-up.

    “Social network users did not differ from other modality users in terms of depressive symptoms at 2-year follow-up.”

    From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Teo et al., 2019

  • In Teo et al. (2019), use of video chat (FaceTime and Skype) was associated with lower risk of developing depressive symptoms at 2-year follow-up.

    “Use of video chat (FaceTime and Skype) was associated with lower risk of developing depressive symptoms at 2-year follow-up.”

    From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Teo et al., 2019

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Authors
Teo, A. R., Markwardt, S., & Hinton, L.
Affiliations
  • Portland State University (US)
  • University of California, Davis (US)
Corresponding author
Teo, Alan R.
ORCID
Venue
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-03
Volume
27
Issue
3
Pages
254-262
ISSN
1064-7481 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jagp.2018.10.014
OpenAlex
W2899072529
Cited by
82
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1
FWCI
21.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PDXScholar (Portland State University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
Keywords
Skype, video chat, depressive symptoms, older adults, online communication technologies, email, social media, instant messaging, depression risk
MeSH terms
Aged, Aging, Depression, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sampling Studies, United States, Logistic Models, Electronic Mail, Videoconferencing, Text Messaging, Social Networking

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