Active and passive social media usage and depression among the elderly during COVID-19: does race matter?

• DOI: 10.1080/0144929x.2022.2045359
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04T04:46:41Z
• Authors: Malvika Chhatwani; Sushanta Kumar Mi...; Himanshu Rai
• Keywords: Depression; Pandemic; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Increasing depression and mental health problems among the elderly during pandemic have become a grave concern. In present study, we borrowed from emotional contagion theory examined association between social media use (SMU) pandemic. Our findings suggest that active but not passive SMU is positively related to depression. Moreover, also if (both passive) has varying effect on of based their race, i.e. blacks whites. detrimental for both whites, whereas only blacks. Further, undertook multiperiod analyses where scores were measured at four different time periods. We found adverse impact persists over time. The study draws attention antecedents COVID-19. Implications practice are discussed.