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Family E-Chat Group Use Was Associated with Family Wellbeing and Personal Happiness in Hong Kong Adults amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Wei-Jie Gong

    (School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Bonny Yee-Man Wong

    (School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Sai-Yin Ho

    (School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Sheng-Zhi Zhao

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Man-Ping Wang

    (School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Tai-Hing Lam

    (School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

Instant messaging (IM) is increasingly used for family communication amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. However, evidence remains scarce on how family e-chat groups were used and their associations with family and individual wellbeing amidst the pandemic. The numbers of family e-chat groups, functions used, and messages sent and received daily in groups were reported by 4890 adults in May 2020, and their associations with family wellbeing and personal happiness and the mediation effect of family communication quality were examined. Results showed that sending/receiving text messages was most commonly used, followed by receiving/sending photos/pictures, making voice calls, receiving/sending short videos and voice messages, and making video calls. Women and older people used more non-text functions. Higher levels of family wellbeing and personal happiness were associated with having more groups, receiving/sending photos/pictures, video calls, more IM functions used, and more IM messages received/sent daily. Forty-six point two to seventy-five point five percent of their associations with more groups and more functions used were mediated by family communication quality. People having more family e-chat groups and using more IM functions may be more resilient amidst the pandemic, while those without or with low use of family e-chat groups amidst the pandemic would need more attention and assistance in the presence of social distancing.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei-Jie Gong & Bonny Yee-Man Wong & Sai-Yin Ho & Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai & Sheng-Zhi Zhao & Man-Ping Wang & Tai-Hing Lam, 2021. "Family E-Chat Group Use Was Associated with Family Wellbeing and Personal Happiness in Hong Kong Adults amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9139-:d:625240
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bo-Wen Chen & Wei-Jie Gong & Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai & Shirley Man-Man Sit & Sai-Yin Ho & Man-Ping Wang & Nancy Xiaonan Yu & Tai-Hing Lam, 2022. "Patterns of Perceived Harms and Benefits of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Hong Kong Adults: A Latent Profile Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Shirley Man-Man Sit & Wei-Jie Gong & Sai-Yin Ho & Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai & Bonny Yee-Man Wong & Man-Ping Wang & Tai-Hing Lam, 2022. "A Population Study on COVID-19 Information Sharing: Sociodemographic Differences and Associations with Family Communication Quality and Well-Being in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-11, March.
    3. Petrovčič, Andraž & Reisdorf, Bianca C. & Quan-Haase, Anabel & Bartol, Jošt & Grošelj, Darja, 2024. "Digital inequalities among internet users before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparison from two cross-sectional surveys in Slovenia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).

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