ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Psychology of Aging
Does Digital Economy Affect the Happiness of Older Adults?
Zhendong Wu 1
Luhan Wang 1
Fuqi Ma 2
Jiongcheng Lu 3
George Leeson 4
Rujing Kong 5
1. Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
2. Jinan University School of Management, Guangzhou, China
3. University College London, London, United Kingdom
4. University of Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, Oxford, United Kingdom
5. Renmin University of China School of Applied Economics, Beijing, China
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Abstract
Introduction: The happiness of older adults is considered as an important indicator that affects their life satisfaction and mental health situation. The association between digital economy development and happiness among older adults remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association and mechanism. Methods: A total of 8,665 respondents aged 60 and above were collected from the 2020 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS). This study linked micro-level well-being measures to a city-level digital economy index that combines internet development indicators with the Peking University Digital Financial Inclusion Index. Ordered response models are estimated with extensive individual and city controls. This research also implemented an instrumental-variable strategy, complemented by propensity score matching and robustness checks. Results: Digital economy was positively associated with older adults' happiness (OR=3.022, P<0.01). The association was not significant among offline older adults, but was strong among internet users (OR=6.456, P<0.01). Under the digital usage divide, the association was stronger for older adults with high device proficiency (OR=3.995, P<0.01) and for those using the internet at least once per week (OR=6.373, P<0.05) or daily (OR=5.646, P<0.01). Under the digital skills divide, stronger associations were observed among older adults whose primary internet purpose was social activities (OR=6.973, P<0.01), information acquisition (OR=4.315, P<0.01), leisure and entertainment (OR=3.561, P<0.01), and investment and consumption (OR=13.210, P<0.01). Mechanism tests further indicated amplification through digital government (OR=2.425, P<0.01), social capital (OR=1.130, P<0.1), and improved access to health services (OR=1.728, P<0.01). Conclusion: This study underscores the importance and role of digital economy for happiness promotion among older adults. The findings imply that digital infrastructure expansion alone is unlikely to deliver inclusive well-being improvements. Narrowing access gaps and strengthening digital capabilities are critical to ensure that aging populations share in digital dividends. Policy should shift from facility building to digital skills and usage support.
Summary
Keywords
Digital divide2, digital economy1, happiness4, Mental Health3, older adults5
Received
26 August 2025
Accepted
19 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Wu, Wang, Ma, Lu, Leeson and Kong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Rujing Kong
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