TY - JOUR
T1 - Technostress
T2 - measuring a new threat to well-being in later life
AU - Nimrod, Galit
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by Ageing + Communication + Technologies (ACT), a research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and housed at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2018/8/3
Y1 - 2018/8/3
N2 - Objectives: Technostress is stress induced by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use. Research on the topic has focused primarily on the workforce and tended to overlook senior citizens. This study presents the development of a new scale, which was designed to measure technostress specifically among older adults. Method: The scale explores five constructs: overload, invasion, complexity, privacy and inclusion. The initial 20-item measure was tested in a pilot study and then included in an online survey of 537 Internet users aged 60 years and over. Results: Based on the statistical analysis, the scale was reduced to 14 items. The constructs had good internal homogeneity, significant inter-construct correlations and high loadings on a single latent factor. The scores were well distributed along the range. Concurrent validity was assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale. A significant negative association was found between the two scales–a correlation that remained significant even after controlling for background variables. Conclusion: The new scale is useful for measuring technostress in older people, and technostress ought to be considered a particular threat to well-being in later life. Future research should explore its antecedents and consequences and identify interventions useful in alleviating its harmful effect on older ICT users.
AB - Objectives: Technostress is stress induced by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use. Research on the topic has focused primarily on the workforce and tended to overlook senior citizens. This study presents the development of a new scale, which was designed to measure technostress specifically among older adults. Method: The scale explores five constructs: overload, invasion, complexity, privacy and inclusion. The initial 20-item measure was tested in a pilot study and then included in an online survey of 537 Internet users aged 60 years and over. Results: Based on the statistical analysis, the scale was reduced to 14 items. The constructs had good internal homogeneity, significant inter-construct correlations and high loadings on a single latent factor. The scores were well distributed along the range. Concurrent validity was assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale. A significant negative association was found between the two scales–a correlation that remained significant even after controlling for background variables. Conclusion: The new scale is useful for measuring technostress in older people, and technostress ought to be considered a particular threat to well-being in later life. Future research should explore its antecedents and consequences and identify interventions useful in alleviating its harmful effect on older ICT users.
KW - Digital divides
KW - Internet use
KW - old age
KW - well-being
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020082834&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2017.1334037
DO - 10.1080/13607863.2017.1334037
M3 - Article
C2 - 28562064
AN - SCOPUS:85020082834
SN - 1360-7863
VL - 22
SP - 1080
EP - 1087
JO - Aging and Mental Health
JF - Aging and Mental Health
IS - 8
ER -
