Smartphone behavior and loneliness among older couples in China: Actor-partner interdependence modeling
- 1West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China
Abstract
Background: Much evidence suggests that smartphone behavior is associated with loneliness, but no studies have examined the relationship at the dyadic level in Chinese older couples. The aim of this study is to determine whether smartphone behavior is associated with loneliness in individuals and their spouse. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 202 older couples from two community healthcare centers in Chengdu, China, between October 2022 and May 2023. The actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) was constructed to investigate the interdependent effect between smartphone behavior (i.e., smartphone proficiency, smartphone duration, smartphone usage, and overall smartphone behavior score) and loneliness. Results: In terms of actor effects, husbands’ smartphone proficiency, duration, usage, and overall behavior score were negatively associated with their own loneliness. For wives, however, only their smartphone proficiency, duration, and overall score showed such negative associations; no significant actor effect was found for wives’ smartphone usage on their own loneliness. Regarding partner effects, some significant findings emerged: husbands’ longer smartphone duration and higher overall behavior score were significantly associated with lower loneliness in their wives. Conclusions: This research indicated the dyadic interdependence of smartphone behavior and loneliness in older couples. Future mental health interventions for the older people should treat the couple as a unit.
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BibTeX
@article{huang2026smartphone,
title = {{Smartphone behavior and loneliness among older couples in China: Actor-partner interdependence modeling}},
author = {Siqi Huang and Wanjia Zhang and Yucen Xie and Bo Gao and Huan Zhou},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0359013},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359013},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Smartphone behavior and loneliness among older couples in China: Actor-partner interdependence modeling
AU - Siqi Huang
AU - Wanjia Zhang
AU - Yucen Xie
AU - Bo Gao
AU - Huan Zhou
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0359013
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359013
AB - Background: Much evidence suggests that smartphone behavior is associated with loneliness, but no studies have examined the relationship at the dyadic level in Chinese older couples. The aim of this study is to determine whether smartphone behavior is associated with loneliness in individuals and their spouse. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 202 older couples from two community healthcare centers in Chengdu, China, between October 2022 and May 2023. The actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) was constructed to investigate the interdependent effect between smartphone behavior (i.e., smartphone proficiency, smartphone duration, smartphone usage, and overall smartphone behavior score) and loneliness. Results: In terms of actor effects, husbands’ smartphone proficiency, duration, usage, and overall behavior score were negatively associated with their own loneliness. For wives, however, only their smartphone proficiency, duration, and overall score showed such negative associations; no significant actor effect was found for wives’ smartphone usage on their own loneliness. Regarding partner effects, some significant findings emerged: husbands’ longer smartphone duration and higher overall behavior score were significantly associated with lower loneliness in their wives. Conclusions: This research indicated the dyadic interdependence of smartphone behavior and loneliness in older couples. Future mental health interventions for the older people should treat the couple as a unit.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -