An Exploratory Study on Older Adults’ Digital Literacy Types and Life Satisfaction: Focusing on the Dual Mediating Effects of Cognitive Function and Social Participation

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of digital literacy on life satisfaction among older adults amid global population aging and rapid digital transformation, and to verify the parallel dual mediating effects of cognitive function and social participation. In particular, it exploratorily analyzed mediating mechanisms according to digital literacy types (communication, media, information, and online transaction). SPSS 22.0 and the SPSS PROCESS macro(Model 4) were utilized to analyze data from 9,951 self-respondents aged 65 and older from the 2023 National Survey of Older Koreans. The main findings are as follows. First, digital literacy directly and positively affected life satisfaction. Second, cognitive function and social participation functioned as parallel dual mediators, with the indirect effect through social participation being relatively larger. Third, the total indirect effect size across digital literacy types was largest for communication, followed by information, media, and online transaction literacy. Specifically, online transaction literacy showed a significant indirect effect only through social participation, not cognitive function. Based on these findings, this study highlights multi-dimensional interventions to enhance quality of life for older adults, including tailoring education by digital literacy types, integrating cognitive training, and fostering social participation through online communities.