Mitigating Technostress among Community-Dwelling Seniors: Examining the Role of Proactive and Reactive Coping Behaviours in the Context of XR-Powered Telehealth

The elderly population's unique healthcare needs demand advancements in technology to support independent living. Home care and assisted living, facilitated by XR-powered telehealth, have the potential to enhance health outcomes for seniors (Kim et al., 2023; Margrett et al., 2022). Previous studies have explored the use of virtual reality (VR) in healthcare, particularly as a distraction technique for children in the primary care setting (Goldsworthy et al., 2023). Furthermore, the application of VR for health promotion, focusing on behavioural strategies, self-motivation, and goal-setting, is emerging as a promising avenue for improving senior healthcare (Al-Rasheed et al., 2022; Jones et al., 2023). Here, the demographic shift towards an aging population has underscored the importance of innovative healthcare solutions, especially for community-dwelling seniors aged 65 and above (Othman et al., 2023). With a focus on preserving independence and quality of life, the integration of extended reality (XR)-powered telehealth holds promise in delivering healthcare services to seniors within the comfort of their homes. However, the potential stress arising from the adoption of such technology, known as technostress (Ayyagari et al., 2011; Cheng et al., 2023; Pirkkalainen et al., 2019), necessitates a nuanced examination. To this end, this research aims to investigate how proactive and reactive coping behaviours can mitigate technostress among community-dwelling seniors engaging with XR-powered telehealth solutions.

Technostress, characterized by individuals' stress in coping with the demands of IT use, serves as the foundational concept for this research (Ayyagari et al., 2011; Cheng et al., 2023; Pirkkalainen et al., 2019). Proactive coping behaviours involve individuals' preparedness to deal with ongoing stressful situations through personal growth and resource accumulation (Pirkkalainen et al., 2019). Reactive coping behaviours, on the other hand, occur in response to stressors, such as distancing oneself from the situation or venting negative emotions (Pirkkalainen et al., 2019). To this end, this study will be motivated by following 4 main questions:

1.What are key antecedents of technostress among community-dwelling seniors using XR-powered telehealth?

2.How do proactive coping behaviours influence the experience of technostress among community-dwelling seniors using XR-powered telehealth?

3.What role do reactive coping behaviours play in mitigating technostress among seniors engaged in XR-powered telehealth?

4.Are there specific factors within XR-powered telehealth usage that contribute to technostress among community-dwelling seniors?

We anticipate a mixed-methods approach (Taheri & Okumus, 2023) that employ qualitative interviews to explore in-depth experiences and perceptions of technostress and coping behaviours among community-dwelling seniors. The quantitative phase will utilize standardized scales to measure technostress levels, proactive coping behaviors, reactive coping behaviors, and the perceived effectiveness of different elements of XR-powered telehealth.

This proposed research seeks to bridge the gap in the current literature by investigating the psychological dynamics surrounding technostress and coping behaviours in the context of XR-powered telehealth for community-dwelling seniors. By examining the dark sides of this technology, the study aims to uncover key stressors and propose actionable strategies to mitigate technostress, ultimately contributing to the development of user-centric and effective healthcare solutions for the aging population.

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