Development of the ‘SNS older adults measure’ (SNS-OA) to examine social network site use in older adults

Abstract

Objectives

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) may ameliorate loneliness in later life but no measure of SNS use for this population exists. This study describes the development of the ‘SNS Older Adults measure’ (SNS-OA), to improve understanding of older adults’ SNS use and its relationship to social wellbeing.

Methods

The SNS-OA underwent initial development, including literature reviews and consultation with target population (n = 9) and experts (n = 9); piloting (n = 74), and evaluation of psychometric properties (n = 263).

Results

The final measure comprised three ‘motive’ scales (using SNSs to maintain close ties, maintain and strengthen weaker ties and diversion), and two ‘affect’ scales (positive/negative). Whilst many items were weakly endorsed by participants, the measure demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach α = 0.85; ICC = 0.82) and some convergent validity, with some subscales correlating with a personality measure in hypothesised directions. No statistically significant correlations were observed between the measure and social wellbeing.

Conclusions

Despite the measure’s limitations, this research has enabled a better understanding of SNS use in older adults and has important implications for research in this area. Findings also suggest a complex relationship between social wellbeing and SNS use in later life.

Keywords:

• Social networking sites
• technology
• social wellbeing
• loneliness
• measure development

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London and Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula for supporting this research. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. Thank you to Robert Stenton for all his help with web development.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (grant number: IS-BRC-1215-20018).