Linking structural and functional social support to older adults’ online engagement: A longitudinal mediation perspective

While online engagement has emerged as a critical factor in promoting healthy aging, many older adults still face barriers to engaging online. Social support may help address these challenges, yet limited research has examined how structural and functional dimensions of social support relate to older adults’ breadth of online activities. We examined whether structural social support (network size, density, and strength) is associated with breadth of online activities through functional social support and whether socioeconomic status moderates these associations. In 2021, a baseline survey and 6-month follow-up were conducted with 275 South Korean adults aged 65+ years ( M = 69.35, SD = 4.46). Network size and strength had a positive indirect association with the breadth of online activities via functional social support, whereas density did not. Income positively moderated the association between network size and functional social support. These findings inform digital inclusion strategies for older adults by underscoring how structural and functional social support are linked to broader online engagement.