Bootstrapping-based latent growth modeling analyses revealed that Internet use indirectly affects depression in older Chinese adults through aging attitudes, with both Internet use frequency and aging attitudes showing downward trends over time while depression showed an upward trend.
Frequency of Internet use among older Chinese adults showed a downward trend over the study period from 2018 to 2023.
Attitudes toward aging among older Chinese adults showed a downward trend over the study period.
Depression levels among older Chinese adults showed an upward trend over the study period from 2018 to 2023.
The initial level of Internet use indirectly affected the initial level of depression through the initial level of aging attitude.
The growth rate of Internet use frequency indirectly affected the growth rate of depression through the growth rate of aging attitude.
Latent growth mediation modeling was applied to three waves of longitudinal survey data to examine the relationships among Internet use, aging attitudes, and depression.
This research followed over 4,000 Chinese adults aged 60 and older across three time points (2018, 2020, and 2023) to understand how internet use might affect depression, and whether attitudes about aging play a role in that relationship. The study found that over time, older adults in this sample used the internet less frequently, held less positive attitudes about aging, and experienced increasing levels of depression. These three trends were not independent—they were statistically linked in meaningful ways. The key finding is that internet use appears to influence depression indirectly, rather than directly, by shaping how older adults feel about aging. At any given point in time, older adults who used the internet more frequently tended to have more positive attitudes toward aging, which in turn was associated with lower depression. Similarly, those whose internet use declined more steeply over time also tended to show steeper declines in positive aging attitudes, which was associated with faster-rising depression. This pattern held both for initial levels and for changes over time. This research suggests that promoting internet use among older adults may benefit mental health not just through direct engagement or social connection, but also by fostering more positive self-perceptions about aging. The findings highlight aging attitudes as a potentially important psychological mechanism linking digital engagement to mental health outcomes in older populations. However, because all three variables declined or worsened over the study period, the results also underscore the need for interventions that address both digital inclusion and how older adults perceive and experience the aging process.
Zhou Y, Qin J, Cao N, Yu L. (2026). Longitudinal trajectories of internet use, attitudes toward aging, and depression: a latent growth mediation model.. Frontiers in public health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1853502