How to Promote Intergenerational Integration Through Online Communication: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

The present study examined the extent to which online communication skills led to the degree of intergenerational integration mediated through loneliness, focusing on whether such a mediating path would be moderated by age groups. Intergenerational integration is a concept that emphasizes acceptance and flexibility to recognize diversity based on each other’s values across multiple generations or groups of varying ages. The older group included 315 Koreans aged 65 or above, and the younger group included 322 Koreans aged 19 to 29. Both groups completed an online survey conducted from December 2021 through January 2022. The results showed loneliness significantly mediated the association between online communication skills and the degree of intergenerational integration among both older and young adults; the higher the level of online communication skills, the lower the level of loneliness, leading to high levels of intergenerational integration. However, the mediation path was moderated by age; the association between online communication skills and loneliness was stronger for young adults compared to older adults. Additionally, the direct path was moderated by age: the association between online communication skills and intergenerational integration was stronger for older adults compared to young adults. The findings indicate that programs aimed at improving online communication skills (e.g., SNS or video calls) can reduce loneliness and thus promote intergenerational integration in both younger and older adults. This study highlights the importance of promoting online communication ability to increase intergenerational integration of both older and young adults.