ArticlePloS one2024
Relationships between digital engagement and the mental health of older adults: Evidence from China.
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed.
- Article
- Uncovering the role of preventive health services utilization in protecting older adults from heat-related depressive risks.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- From Eyesight to Insight: Addressing Barriers and Facilitators of Physical Activity Among Indian Elders.Dialogues in health · 2026Article
- The psycho-social dual-pathway perspective on healthy aging in digital age-friendly environments: longitudinal evidence from China.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Smartphone Addiction, Use Preferences, and Depression Among Older Adults in the Digital Context: Machine Learning Analysis of Survey Data.JMIR aging · 2026Article
- Digital Engagement and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults in China: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study and Moderated Mediation Model Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- The influence of mobile navigation design on older adults cognitive load, affective responses, and digital self-efficacy: mixed-methods study.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Policy awareness among community-dwelling older adults: The roles of cognitive status and digital access.PloS one · 2026Article
- Active ageing in the digital era: digital literacy, social networks, and mental health among older adults in China.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Article
- The association between digital technology use and depression among older people in China: a moderated mediation model.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Impact of content features of digital micro-dramas on active aging: the serial mediation effect of emotional engagement and social connectedness.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Digital village construction and the mental health of rural older adults: Evidence from China.Digital healthArticle
- Digital inclusion and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults: The moderating role of cognitive function.Digital healthArticle
- Article
- Article
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2 authors.
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Abstract
Based on the theory of socio-emotional selectivity, this study examines the effect of digital engagement on the mental health of older individuals using data from the 2018 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS). The results show that digital engagement has a significant effect on the mental health of older individuals, manifested by a decline in depression and an enhancement of cognitive abilities. The results are robust by Using instrumental variables to solve endogenous problem and the propensity score matching method to solve selective bias. The analysis of heterogeneity demonstrates that digital engagement can significantly reduce the depression level of older people without chronic diseases and at lower ages and promote the cognitive ability of older adults without chronic diseases and older adults of higher ages. Mechanistic analysis shows that digital engagement can reduce depression in older adults by alleviating loneliness and improving emotional well-being and cognitive performance by enhancing social support. Therefore, digital engagement gives older people a more positive emotional experience and more social support and thereby improves mental health, delivering proactive answers to the problems an aging population brings.
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