Smartphone Addiction, Usage Preferences, and Mental Health Among Older Adults in the Digital Age: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanisms by which smartphone usage preferences affect depressive symptoms among the elderly. Based on a survey of 2,585 individuals, usage is classified into interactive and self-entertainment preferences. The findings reveal that an interactive preference significantly alleviates depressive symptoms by enhancing social participation. In contrast, a self-entertainment preference is positively correlated with higher levels of depression, likely because it can weaken real-world social engagement. Furthermore, the study identifies smartphone addiction as a critical moderating variable. For individuals with a strong interactive preference, addiction negatively moderates the beneficial effect of social participation on depression. The moderating role of addiction on the relationship between self-entertainment preference and social participation also varies depending on the degree of addiction. This research provides nuanced insights into the boundary conditions for promoting the healthy integration of seniors into the digital world.