ERIC Number: EJ965343
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0735-6331
EISSN: N/A
An Examination of the Reciprocal Relationship of Loneliness and Facebook Use among First-Year College Students
Lou, Lai Lei; Yan, Zheng; Nickerson, Amanda; McMorris, Robert
Journal of Educational Computing Research, v46 n1 p105-117 2012
College students are using social network sites such as Facebook to communicate with their families and friends. However, empirical evidence is needed to examine whether there exists a reciprocal relationship between students' use of social network sites and their psychological well-being. The present study focused on two reciprocally-related research questions: (a) Is there an impact of loneliness on Facebook intensity and motive for using Facebook among first-year college students? (b) Is there an impact of Facebook intensity and motive for using Facebook on loneliness? Data were collected from a sample of 340 first-year college students and were analyzed through structural equation modeling. No reciprocal relationship was found in the study: Facebook intensity had a positive impact on loneliness and, motive for using Facebook did not have any impact on loneliness, whereas loneliness influenced neither Facebook intensity nor motive for using Facebook. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Computer Mediated Communication, College Freshmen, Structural Equation Models, Academic Achievement, Program Effectiveness, Social Networks, Psychological Patterns, Web 2.0 Technologies, Goodness of Fit, Measures (Individuals), Questionnaires, Student Attitudes
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: UCLA Loneliness Scale
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A