Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42606574›Full record

ArticleThe journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences2026

Social media use and positive aspects of caregiving: a longitudinal test of the social compensation hypothesis.

Mingyang Yang, Fan Yang, Shaowei Liu, Junyao Zheng, Wenjie Li, Yiyan Zhou, Shihan Lu, Sicheng Zhong, Xiaobo Ke, Vivian W Q Lou

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Article in The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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10 authors.

Mingyang YangSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Fan YangSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4127-6962
Shaowei LiuSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Junyao ZhengSchool of Public Management, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Wenjie LiSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Yiyan ZhouSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Shihan LuSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Sicheng ZhongSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Xiaobo KeAcademy for Educational Development and Innovation, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Vivian W Q LouDepartment of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7000-1306

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesGuided by the social compensation hypothesis, this study examined longitudinal pathways linking multidimensional social media use (SMU) to positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) among family caregivers of people with dementia. Specifically, we tested whether perceived social support (PSS) mediates the association between SMU and PAC and whether offline social network size moderates the SMU-PSS pathway.

methodsA 3-wave time-lagged panel design was conducted over 6 months. Data were collected from a final analytic sample of 417 family caregivers in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Path analysis within a structural equation modeling framework tested a moderated mediation model in which T1 SMU predicted T3 PAC indirectly via T2 PSS, conditional on T1 offline social network size.

resultsT1 SMU significantly predicted T3 PAC (B = 0.141, p < .001), with a significant indirect effect through T2 PSS (B = 0.019, p = .027), indicating partial mediation. Offline social network size negatively moderated the SMU-PSS association (B = -0.030, p < .01). Simple slope analyses showed that the SMU-PSS relationship was significant among caregivers with smaller offline networks but nonsignificant among those with larger networks. DISCUSSION: Findings support a compensatory function of SMU: online engagement may enhance positive caregiving experiences partly by strengthening PSS, particularly for caregivers with limited offline social resources. These results inform the development of targeted digital support strategies tailored to caregivers' baseline social networks.

Indexed as

CaregiversDementiaSocial MediaSocial NetworkingSocial SupportAdultAgedChinaDigital MediaFemaleHong KongHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMedia ExposureMiddle AgedFamily caregiversOffline social networksPerceived social support

Identifiers

PMID42606574
PMCPMC13600679

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