Abstract
Purpose: The existing studies of the association between Internet usage and well-being have produced contradictory results. This study explores the associations between Internet access at home and well-being, as well as other lifestyle variables. Design/methodology/approach: The study was done in a probability sample of 800 community-dwelling adults aged 16 and over in six most deprived areas of the Redbridge borough of London. Using face-to-face interviews, information on the demographics, lifestyle, Internet access at home, happiness, trait hope, and subjective health was obtained. Path analysis and structural equation modelling were used to investigate the associations between Internet access and well-being, controlling for demographic variables. Findings: Respondents with home Internet access had stronger social ties with friends and relatives, engaged in a wider repertoire of community creative activities and cultural events, and reported having higher social support. Controlling for demographic variables, Internet access at home was a weak but statistically significant predictor of happiness, agency, and absence of mental health problems. The effect of home Internet access on happiness was partially mediated by social ties. Research limitations/implications: The correlational nature of the study forbids making causal inferences. The data suggest that people with low socioeconomic status may derive wellbeing benefits from having access to information technology which can serve as an instrument for social integration. Originality/value: The data provide a demographic snapshot of the digital divide in one of the most deprived areas of London.
Highlights
For many people in Britain the Internet has become an integral part of daily life
We looked for evidence of the contribution of Internet access to psychological well-being, controlling for demographic variables
Because the number of dial-up users was extremely small (N=12), they were grouped together with broadband users to form the Internet access group (N=602; 75.3% of the sample), which was compared to the no-access group (N=181; 22.6% of the sample)
Summary
For many people in Britain the Internet has become an integral part of daily life. With our widespread reliance on the Internet for communication, information gathering and consumer behaviour, it is essential to understand its effects on health and well-being of the population.Relationships between Internet access/usage and Internetrelated psychological health have been a major research focus in the field of cyber-psychology. With our widespread reliance on the Internet for communication, information gathering and consumer behaviour, it is essential to understand its effects on health and well-being of the population. Despite nearly one and a half decades of research, there remain substantial disagreements with regard to the nature and value of Internet’s impact on our psychological lives. A longitudinal study by Kraut et al [1] was one of the first to assess the impact of Internet use on social involvement and psychological well-being on the opportunity sample of community dwellers freshly exposed to computers and Internet. A three-year follow up study of the original participants found that the original negative effects dissipated, with both depression and loneliness declining over time [2]. The more hours the average respondent spent on the Internet, the more (not less) time they
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