Work

Exploring the relationship between digital competency and life satisfaction Among the elderly

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: As digitalization accelerates, digital competency has become crucial for elderly well-being. However, little is known about the psychological mechanisms that link digital skills to life satisfaction. This study investigates whether satisfaction with digital transformation mediates this relationship and whether Digital Devices Self-Efficacy moderates it. Methods: We analyzed data from 2300 older adults (aged 55+) drawn from South Korea's 2022 Digital Information Gap Survey. Digital competency, satisfaction with digital transformation, digital devices self-efficacy, and life satisfaction were measured using validated scales. PROCESS Macro Model 7 was used to test moderated mediation effects, controlling for age, gender, education, occupation, disability, and living arrangement. Results: Digital information competency significantly predicted higher life satisfaction, both directly (β = .095, p < .01) and indirectly via satisfaction with digital transformation (β = .055, 95% CI [0.040, 0.070]). Moreover, the strength of the relationship between digital competency and satisfaction with transformation was moderated by digital devices self-efficacy (interaction β = -.108, p < .01). Notably, the positive effect of digital competency was strongest among individuals with lower self-efficacy. Conclusion: Improving digital skills alone may not suffice to enhance well-being in older adults. Programs should also boost self-efficacy and emphasize personal relevance to increase satisfaction with digital transformation. These findings inform future interventions aimed at reducing digital inequality and supporting more inclusive digital aging policies.

Source: Digital Health

DOI: 10.1177/20552076251358756

Authors: Eun-Mi Baek, Byunghee Choi, Sang-Hun Kang

Institutions: Catholic University of Korea, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Health College

Language: English

Topic: Technology Use by Older Adults

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,000