The effect of digital literacy in the elderly on life satisfaction: Focusing on depression and social participation

Abstract

Research Purpose: We are living in the 4th industrial revolution, the network era. Meanwhile, as Corona 19 spreads around the world, we are facing a transition to a non-face-to-face society, and the use of non-face-to-face digital devices using information and communication technology has been further accelerated. Due to these changes, if digital devices could be accessed and used, various digital services such as telemedicine and mobile financial services could be used, and functions such as work and school could be maintained despite the COVID-19 situation. However, the rapid transition to the information society made the information vulnerability of the elderly more exposed. This is because digital literacy, a core competency for adapting in the information society, that is, the ability to access and use digital devices, acted as a limit for the elderly, who are vulnerable to information. Unlike the young class, who naturally acquire the advanced information culture, the elderly cannot adapt and tend to be socially alienated. In addition, if this social isolation problem persists, it will negatively affect mental health. At this time, social participation is a representative factor that can control mental health, and social participation is a factor that can enhance life satisfaction such as self-actualization and overcoming a feeling of alienation. Therefore, this study intends to verify the moderated mediating effect of social participation through depression in the relationship between digital literacy in the elderly and life satisfaction. Method: This study was analyzed with 8,664 older adults aged 65 and over who responded to the 2020 Senior Survey conducted jointly with the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and adjusted using SPSS 23.0 and SPSS PROCESS 3.4.1. The mediating effect was verified. Research Results: The main research results are as follows. First, it was verified that depression had a partial mediating effect in the relationship between digital literacy and life satisfaction. Second, it was verified that social participation had a moderating effect on the relationship between depression and life satisfaction. Third, it was verified that the mediating effect of depression in the relationship between digital literacy and life satisfaction was reduced as social participation increased. Conclusion: Based on these research results, we would like to suggest the implications and limitations of this study, as well as the direction of follow-up studies.