The Relationship between Digital Literacy and Adaptation to College among Adult Learners in Higher Education: Dual Mediating Effects of Online Course Satisfaction and Academic Stress

This study aimed to examine the structural relationships among digital literacy, academic stress, online course satisfaction, and adult learners’ adaptation to college in higher education. In particular, it sought to empirically analyze the interrelationships of influencing variables in the process by which adult learners’ digital competencies affect their adaptation to college within the rapidly digitalizing educational environment. Data were collected from 292 adult learners enrolled in degree programs at four-year universities through purposive sampling. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the analysis revealed that adult learners’ digital literacy significantly influenced adaptation to college through the mediation of online course satisfaction, whereas academic stress did not have a significant effect. Furthermore, the mediating effect of online course satisfaction between digital literacy and college adjustment was significant, while the dual mediating effect of online course satisfaction and academic stress was not significant. These results highlight the necessity of systematic support programs for enhancing digital literacy among adult learners and suggest the importance of developing differentiated adjustment support strategies distinct from those applied to traditional-aged students. This study is significant as it provides implications for supporting adult learners in higher education from the perspective of digital inclusion and offers insights into strategies for adult learner support in the era of digital transformation.