The Role of Social Media Communication in the Association Between Widowhood and Depressive Symptoms.

Abstract

Social support theory highlights the importance of social connections in coping with stress and adversity. Given that mobile technologies and internet have become important tools for social interaction, it is crucial to investigate the role of social media communication in the bereavement process. We examined whether the association between widowhood and depressive symptoms would be moderated by social media communication (i.e., chatting/messaging, social media, online community platforms, and video sharing). From the 2021 Korea Social Integration Survey, we analyzed a sample of 5,238 respondents (aged 40+) who were ever-married, comparing 4,725 married and 513 widowed individuals. Social media communication except chatting/messaging was associated with fewer depressive symptoms-regardless of widowhood. We also found that social media use (e.g., Facebook) attenuated the association between widowhood and depressive symptoms. Our findings highlight the importance of examining social engagement via information and communication technologies and the potential mechanism contributing to widowed adults' well-being.