A recent article by Consumer Affairs on the effects of social media on depression symptoms in older adults interviews Dr. Michael Stefanone, associate professor of Communication. The article, which cites both positive and negative effects for this population, cautions balance in older adults' use of social media.

Dr. Stefanone warns that social media can lead to a feeling of exclusion, noting that "We’re using these technologies daily and they’re pushing information to users about their networks, which is what the sites are designed to do, but in the end there’s negative effects on people’s well-being...It happened to me the other night. I see my friends are doing something while I’m sitting at home. It’s not devastating, but that’s the moment when I felt badly.”

Read the full article here.