To trust or not to trust: a qualitative study of older adults’ online communication during the COVID-19 pandemic

Online communication is an effective solution to the social isolation of older adults that can result from attempts to avoid COVID-19 transmission, but they may not be familiar with virtual identities in online communication and struggle to develop trusting relationships. We address this dilemma in this study by using qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews. We employ the social exchange theory and trust transfer theory to develop a conceptual model from three perspectives: the characteristics of the trustor, those of the trustee, and their shared factors. We find that trust is moderated by social isolation and health concerns experienced by older adults during the pandemic and that outcomes associated with trust building include satisfaction, reliance, and loyalty. The findings enrich our understanding of the mental health of older adults and online interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be extended to similar contexts in which long-term isolation is necessary. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10660-023-09679-4.