The Effect of Social Capital on Life Satisfaction of Older Adults : With a Focus on Mediation Effects of Digital Literacy and Gender Differences

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of social capital on life satisfaction, as well as the mediating effects of digital literacy and gender differences, along with the relationships among these variables. Using data from the 2023 Digital Divide Survey, the sample included 419 men and 450 women aged over 65 who had experience of using the internet. The results were as follows: First, both bonding and bridging capital positively affected digital information competence, digital information utilization, and life satisfaction in both men and women. Second, digital information utilization acted as a partial mediator between bridging capital and life satisfaction in women. Based on these results, implications for policy and practice to enhance life satisfaction in later life were discussed. It is essential to promote diverse social participation programs through digital information utilization, which can contribute to improving life satisfaction for women.