Active ageing in the digital era: digital literacy, social networks, and mental health among older adults in China

Introduction In the context of rapid population ageing and the global pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), understanding how digital capabilities shape psychological wellbeing among older adults has become increasingly important. This study aims to examine the impact of digital literacy on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults in China and to explore the mediating role of social networks in this relationship. Methods This study uses data from 9,507 respondents drawn from the fourth wave of the China Longitudinal Ageing Study (CLASS) conducted in 2020. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation are employed to examine the association between digital literacy and psychological wellbeing. A mediation model is further constructed to test whether social networks serve as an underlying mechanism. Results The results indicate that the average mental health score of older adults is 20.09, while the mean digital literacy score is 0.203. Digital literacy has a significant positive effect on psychological wellbeing (OLS: β = 0.951, p 0.01; GMM: β = 0.607, p 0.01), and social networks partially mediate this relationship, with an indirect effect of 0.035, accounting for approximately 3.8% of the total effect. In addition, advanced age ( β = −3.971, p 0.01), male gender ( β = −0.193, p 0.01), non-agricultural household registration ( β = −0.332, p 0.01), and dependence on others for daily activities ( β = −1.107, p 0.01) are negatively associated with mental health. By contrast, higher educational attainment ( β = 0.042, p 0.01), greater income ( β = 0.003, p 0.01), favorable marital status ( β = 0.291, p 0.01), and having more children ( β = 0.052, p 0.01) are positively related to psychological wellbeing. Conclusion The findings suggest that digital literacy enhances psychological wellbeing among middle-aged and older adults both directly and indirectly by strengthening social connectedness. This study highlights the importance of integrating digital inclusion strategies into mental health promotion systems for ageing populations and emphasizes the role of supportive social networks in promoting active ageing and sustainable wellbeing in the digital era.