For whom does online social support matter most? Exploring the joint moderating roles of depressive symptoms and physical functioning in the relationship between online social support and quality of life

IF 12.2 1区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL

Computers in Human Behavior Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-10 DOI:10.1016/j.chb.2025.108893

Juwon Hwang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Social support is a critical determinant of well-being, but its benefits may not be uniform across individuals. As more people connect online, it is important to understand when and for whom online social support is most beneficial. This study investigates how online social support relates to quality of life, focusing on the moderating roles of depressive symptoms and physical functioning, and compares these effects to a parallel model of offline social support. In both cases, social support was operationalized as perceived emotional support. Using a U.S. sample of 2650 adults, we test moderation in separate models for online and offline support. Results show that online support is positively associated with quality of life, with stronger effects for individuals experiencing higher depressive symptoms and lower physical functioning. A three-way interaction reveals that online support's benefits are most pronounced for those with both high depressive symptoms and low physical functioning. In contrast, offline support was also positively associated with quality of life and interacted significantly with depressive symptoms, but not with physical functioning or the three-way combination. Findings contribute to social compensation theory by showing that online environments provide especially effective support for individuals facing compounded psychological and physical challenges.

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网络社会支持对谁最重要？探讨抑郁症状和身体功能在网络社会支持与生活质量关系中的共同调节作用

社会支持是幸福的关键决定因素，但它的好处可能因人而异。随着越来越多的人在网上联系，了解何时以及对谁来说在线社会支持是最有益的是很重要的。本研究探讨了在线社会支持与生活质量的关系，重点关注抑郁症状和身体功能的调节作用，并将这些影响与线下社会支持的平行模型进行了比较。在这两种情况下，社会支持都被操作化为感知情感支持。我们以美国2650名成年人为样本，在在线和离线支持的不同模型中测试了适度性。结果表明，在线支持与生活质量呈正相关，对抑郁症状较重、身体功能较差的人有更强的影响。一项三方互动显示，在线支持的好处对那些抑郁症状严重、身体功能低下的人最为明显。相比之下，离线支持也与生活质量呈正相关，并与抑郁症状显著相互作用，但与身体功能或三方组合无关。研究结果表明，网络环境为面临复杂心理和生理挑战的个人提供了特别有效的支持，这有助于社会补偿理论。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Computers in Human Behavior Multiple-

CiteScore

19.10

自引率

4.00%

发文量

381

审稿时长

40 days

期刊介绍： Computers in Human Behavior is a scholarly journal that explores the psychological aspects of computer use. It covers original theoretical works, research reports, literature reviews, and software and book reviews. The journal examines both the use of computers in psychology, psychiatry, and related fields, and the psychological impact of computer use on individuals, groups, and society. Articles discuss topics such as professional practice, training, research, human development, learning, cognition, personality, and social interactions. It focuses on human interactions with computers, considering the computer as a medium through which human behaviors are shaped and expressed. Professionals interested in the psychological aspects of computer use will find this journal valuable, even with limited knowledge of computers.