The association between digital literacy and cognitive function in older adults: the multiple mediating roles of self-efficacy, social participation, and psychological resilience

Background Digital literacy refers to the ability to safely and effectively use digital technologies to access, manage, and apply information for daily living and social participation, and has been recognized as a key strategy for promoting healthy aging. However, limited research has simultaneously examined multiple psychosocial mechanisms underlying the relationship between digital literacy and cognitive function in older adults. This study aimed to examine the parallel mediating roles of self-efficacy, social participation, and psychological resilience in the relationship between digital literacy and cognitive function. Methods A cross-sectional design was employed. We recruited older adults aged ≥60 years from a city in China to complete a questionnaire survey. The survey instruments included a general information questionnaire, the Digital Literacy Scale for Older Adults, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Social Participation Scale for Older Adults, the Brief Psychological Resilience Scale, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A multiple mediation model was constructed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results Among the 630 participants, the largest proportion of participants were aged 70–79 years (45.9%), and 52.1% were male. The mean MMSE score was 25.71 (SD = 3.38), indicating that the sample, on average, fell within the normal cognitive range (scores below 24 are typically considered indicative of mild cognitive impairment). Digital literacy was significantly correlated with cognitive function ( r = 0.246, P P = 0.002). Mediation analysis revealed that digital literacy indirectly influenced cognitive function through three pathways: self-efficacy, social participation, and psychological resilience. The total indirect effect accounted for 39.5% of the total effect, and the direct effect accounted for 60.8%. Among the three mediating pathways, self-efficacy showed the strongest indirect effect (16.4%), followed by social participation (13.0%) and psychological resilience (10.1%). Conclusion Digital literacy not only shows a direct association with cognitive function in older adults but also shows indirect associations through self-efficacy, social participation, and psychological resilience. Therefore, multifaceted, synergistic interventions may be considered that integrate digital skills training with social engagement and psychological support are associated with cognitive health and the quality of life for older adults.