Active and Passive Social Media Usage and Depression among the Elderly During COVID-19: Does Race Matter?

Increasing depression and mental health problems among the elderly have become a grave concern during the pandemic. The authors’ findings suggest that active but not passive social media usage (SMU) is positively related to depression. Moreover, their findings suggest that active SMU is detrimental for both blacks and whites, whereas passive SMU is positively related to depression only among blacks. Further, following a multiperiod analysis, they captured depression scores at four different time periods. They found that the adverse impact of SMU on depression persists over time. The present study draws attention to the antecedents of depression among the elderly during COVID-19. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.