Examining the relationship between online self-efficacy and daily Internet use for older adults.
TL;DR
Analysis of the role of online self-efficacy as a mediating process linking five sources of technical support, attitudes, attitudes, and facilitating conditions to older adults' daily Internet use provides insights for designing interventions that can enhance older adults' online self-efficacy and increase their daily Internet use.
Abstract
Internet use by community-dwelling older adults can increase their feelings of social connectedness and alleviate feelings of loneliness. Older adults' Internet use is increasing, yet some older adults still lack confidence in their ability to use the Internet. A lack of confidence may negatively affect their Internet use. This study incorporates constructs from technology acceptance models and theories to examine the role of online self-efficacy as a mediating process linking five sources of technical support (i.e., customer support, themselves, family, friends, and online sources), attitudes, and facilitating conditions to older adults' daily Internet use. Understanding these mechanistic relationships is likely to inform older adults' use and adoption of other existing and emerging technologies. Data were collected, during October and November 2017, using a cross-sectional online survey with a representative sample of U.S. Internet users, aged 65 years and older (N = 1,169). Path analysis modeling results show that the effects of fixing a technical problem themselves, finding technology help online, getting technical support from family, attitude toward new technology, facilitating conditions, and hedonic motivation on daily Internet use were mediated by online self-efficacy. Study results provide insights for designing interventions that can enhance older adults' online self-efficacy and increase their daily Internet use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).