Social Media Communication, Traditional Social Interactions, and Loneliness in Later Life: The Role of Physical Functional Limitations

Objectives Loneliness is a critical public health issue among older adults, particularly those with physical functional limitations who face greater barriers to in-person engagement. While prior studies have linked social media use to reduced loneliness through overall social contact, few have examined the distinct roles of specific interaction types or whether these pathways differ across physical functional status. This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of social media communication on loneliness—via in-person meet-ups and phone calls—and whether these pathways differ by physical functional status. Methods Data were drawn from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 6,132; mean age = 75.38 years; 59.6% female). Moderated mediation analyses were conducted to assess whether the direct and indirect effects of social media communication differed by physical functional limitation status. Results Both in-person meet-ups and phone calls significantly mediated the association between social media communication and loneliness for both groups. The indirect effect through in-person meet-ups was significantly stronger among those with functional limitations. The direct effect of social media communication was also significant only for this group. In contrast, the phone call pathway had similar effects across groups. Discussion Social media reduces loneliness among older adults with physical functional limitations both directly and by supporting traditional social interactions—particularly in-person meet-ups. Future social media designs and interventions could incorporate features that facilitate offline engagement, such as tools for coordinating in-person gatherings or streamlining phone communication, to more effectively address loneliness in this population.