Examining smartphone use among older adults in Singapore: a screenomics approach

• Main Author: Su, Yifei
• Other Authors: Edmund Lee Wei Jian
• Format: Thesis-Master by Coursework
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Computer and Information Science; Mobile phone; Older adults; Screenomics; Mental health
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/174492
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This study employed Screenomics—a novel screen-capture methodology to investigate mobile phone behaviors among older adults in Singapore, aiming to elucidate the relationships between phone usage patterns and mental well-being. While Screenomics had been previously applied to observe people’s phone usage such as adolescents and adults, this research pioneered its application among the elderly demographic, examining the nexus between mobile phone use and mental health in older adults. The objective of the research is to use the approach of Screenomics to scrutinize disparities in smartphone usage among older adults in Singapore, focusing on mental well-being to find out the relations between mobile phone use and mental health. A comprehensive dataset comprising 361,280 screenshots was gathered from March to May 2023, involving 30 participants aged 50 and above in Singapore. Utilizing textual and topical analysis, the study yielded noteworthy insights. Firstly, the results indicated that older adults in Singapore predominantly engaged in mobile phone activities such as scrolling SNS and watching videos. SNS use is significantly correlated with photo sharing and viewing (r = 0.54, p < 0.01). Secondly, older adults exhibiting elevated levels of emotional and social well-being demonstrated a preference for engaging with positive content on their mobile phones, they also browsed social network sites and made calls more frequently. While those with lower well-being tended to allocate more phone use time to entertainment and gaming. These findings underscore the evolving nature of elderly adults’ mobile phone usage, transitioning from basic functionalities to diverse modes of interaction.