Internet Use, Subjective Age, and Mental Health Among Middle‐Aged and Older Adults in China: Pressured Versus Voluntary Internet Use

Abstract

Background The rapid development of Internet technology and the swift digitization of public services may expose middle‐aged and older adults to challenges of pressured Internet use. This study aimed to compare the relationships between pressured and voluntary Internet use and mental health among Chinese middle‐aged and older adults, and to explore the mediating role of subjective age. Methods Based on data from the China Digital Divide and Digital Inclusion Survey (CDDDIS) involving 5231 individuals aged ≥50 years, confirmatory latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to identify pressured and voluntary Internet use patterns. Structural equation modeling, adjusting for covariates, was utilized to examine their differential associations with depressive symptoms and the mediating effects of subjective age. Results Among middle‐aged and older Internet users, 27% engaged in pressured Internet use. Voluntary Internet use demonstrated significant direct and indirect effects on reducing depressive symptoms via lowering subjective age. Pressured Internet use showed no discernible effect on depressive symptoms compared to nonuse. Conclusion Voluntary Internet engagement enhances mental health among middle‐aged and older adults by mitigating stereotyped self‐perceptions of aging, whereas unwilling technology interactions fail to yield psychological benefits. Supporting self‐driven digital participation is crucial in addressing well‐being disparities in the context of proliferating Internet services.