互联网应用程序使用对老年人心理健康的影响——以微信、短视频、影音和游戏为例

The Effects of Internet Application Use on the Mental Health of Older Adults——WeChat,Short Video,TV and Games as Examples

我国将步入中度人口老龄化社会,推进老年健康是实现积极老龄化的基础,跨越老年数字鸿沟是实现积极老龄化重要途径。随着移动互联网技术的快速发展,互联网应用程序深刻影响老年生活质量,在老龄化和数字化交叠的背景下,研究互联网应用程序使用对老年人心理健康的影响具有重要意义。本文基于中国老年社会追踪调查(CLASS)2020年微观数据,利用OLS模型、倾向值匹配(PSM)、Sobel’s z-test中介效应检验和似不相关回归模型分析使用不同互联网应用程序对上网老年人心理健康的影响、作用机制及异质性。研究发现使用微信、短视频、影音和游戏类应用程序的老年人心理健康状况更好,倾向值匹配结果稳健。进一步分析发现随着互联网使用频次的升高,老年人使用微信、短视频、影音和游戏类应用程序对其心理健康的边际效应递减;老年人四类应用程序使用数量会显著影响老年人心理健康水平,扩展老年人互联网应用程序的使用面可以显著改善老年人的心理健康水平。中介效应模型分析发现互联网应用程序使用会通过提高老年人的生活满意度和社会适应水平改善老年人的心理健康;异质性分析结果显示互联网应用程序对老年人心理健康的影响因受教育水平不同而存在差异。建议树立老年人互联网应用程序使用新观念,助力老年人跨越网络使用鸿沟,扩展老年人互联网应用程序使用面,提高老年人生活满意度和社会适应能力,从而改善老年人心理健康。

China will enter a moderate population aging society,and elderly health is the basis for achieving active aging.With the rapid development of Internet technology,crossing the digital divide among the elderly is one of the priorities for achieving active aging,and it is important to study the Internet use and mental health of the elderly in the context of the overlap of aging and digital society.Based on the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey(CLASS)2020 microdata,OLS models,propensity value matching(PSM),Sobel’s z-test mediated effects test,and plausible uncorrelated regression models were used to analyze the effects,mechanisms of action,and heterogeneity of using different Internet applications on the mental health of older adults with Internet access.It was found that older adults who used WeChat,short video,audio-visual and gaming applications had better mental health,and the propensity value matching results were robust.Further analysis revealed that the marginal effect of using WeChat,short video,audiovisual and game applications on the mental health of older adults decreases as the frequency of Internet use increases;the number of applications used by older adults significantly affects the mental health level of older adults,and expanding the use of Internet applications by older adults significantly improves the mental health level of older adults.The results of heterogeneity analysis showed that the effect of Internet applications on the mental health of older adults differed according to their education level.It is recommended to establish a new concept of Internet application use among older adults,help older adults cross the Internet use gap,and actively promote the expansion of Internet application use among older adults to improve their life satisfaction and social adjustment,thereby improving their psychological health.