The role of engagement and self-disclosure in mitigating loneliness: a study on women’s closed Facebook groups

Abstract

Inspired by the uses and gratifications theory, this study examines the role of closed women’s Facebook groups in mediating the relationship between various forms of loneliness and perceived gratification among Israeli women. We surveyed 521 female participants to explore the mediating effect of engagement on loneliness and perceived gratification. Our findings suggest that these closed Facebook groups serve as significant platforms for interaction and personal disclosure, thereby contributing to the perceived importance of these groups in members’ lives. However, the results also show that these groups may not effectively alleviate social-emotional loneliness, and increased engagement within these groups does not significantly influence the relationship between loneliness and perceived gratification. In contrast, these groups act as alternative support systems for women experiencing family loneliness, with a heightened sense of gratification correlating with active participation. Despite these findings, the study reveals the limitations of these groups in addressing all forms of loneliness, underscoring the vital role of offline interactions. Therefore, these results highlight the need to further explore the interplay between online and offline spaces in shaping women’s experiences of loneliness and perceived gratification. The study also suggests that additional research is necessary to examine the applicability of these findings across different cultural contexts and a broader range of online groups.