ArticleJournal of adolescence2026
Between Dependence and Alienation: Understanding the Digital Minimalist Behavior of Chinese Millennials-An Analysis Based on SEM and fsQCA.
Article in Journal of adolescence, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
introductionFollowing rapid iterations in media technologies, Chinese millennials (born between 1980 and 1995) find themselves in a paradoxical state where digital saturation exists alongside fatigue, making them central practitioners of digital minimalist behavior.
methodsThis study, rooted in psychological reactance theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, employs a mixed-method design that integrates SEM and fsQCA to examine the determinants of digital minimalist behavior among Chinese millennials. Using 560 valid responses gathered from June to August 2025, SEM analyzes the net effects, while fsQCA identifies the configurational pathways associated with high levels of behavior.
resultsThe SEM results indicate that psychological reactance-related perceptions positively predict digital minimalist behavior, including inferred manipulative intent (β = 0.233, p < 0.001), perceived coercion (β = 0.182, p < 0.001), and perceived goal obstruction (β = 0.168, p < 0.01). Perceived Usefulness (β = -0.133, p < 0.01) and Perceived Ease of Use (β = -0.240, p < 0.001) negatively correlate with the behavior, while psychological reactance indirectly contributes to stronger digital minimalist behavior by weakening both perceptions. This indicates that when technology is perceived as intrusive, autonomy-threatening, or disruptive to goals, Chinese millennials are more inclined to adopt selective, context-specific minimalist adjustments, while functional dependence continues to constrain complete disconnection. The fsQCA further identifies six functionally equivalent configurational pathways, emphasizing the intricate nature of the causal conjunctions underlying this behavior.
conclusionThis study demonstrates that digital minimalist behavior among Chinese millennials is not a one-way exit but an ongoing process of digital adjustment under media-related pressures. It offers a context-specific perspective for understanding their anxieties in mediated everyday life.
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