The association between use of online social networks sites and perceived social isolation among individuals in the second half of life: results based on a nationally representative sample in Germany

BACKGROUND: To date, little is known about the association between the use of online social network sites and social isolation among individuals in the second half of life. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine this association among older adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional data was drawn from a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized individuals aged 40 and above (n = 7837) in Germany (German Ageing Survey). Online social network use was assessed using the frequency of social network use (e.g., Facebook) in the preceding 12 months (daily; several times a week; once a week; 1–3 times a month; less often; never). Perceived social isolation was measured using an established scale created by Bude and Lantermann. RESULTS: Adjusting for covariates, linear regressions revealed that daily online social network users reported lower social isolation scores compared with those with less frequent or no social media use. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that daily users of online social networks aged 40 and over tend to feel less socially isolated than less frequent users or non-users. Future research should concentrate on identifying the direction of this association. Moreover, the reasons underlying this finding should be examined. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-018-6369-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.