Bridging the digital divide: development and validation of a digital literacy scale for older adults in China

Abstract Digital literacy is crucial not only for expanding economic opportunities but also for enhancing the quality of life, as it enables individuals to effectively access and use valuable information. However, there is a notable lack of validated tools specifically designed to assess the digital literacy of older adults. This study aimed to fill this gap by developing and validating a measurement tool to evaluate digital literacy levels among older adults in China. Through a rigorous methodological approach, including exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency assessment, the study confirmed the scale’s validity and reliability. The four-factor model identified includes basic technology literacy, communication literacy, problem-solving literacy, and security literacy, comprising 19 items in total. The scale demonstrated strong reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.93) and validity, effectively capturing the multidimensional aspects of digital literacy pertinent to the older population. The scale offers a culturally tailored, validated instrument that not only enhances understanding of digital literacy among older adults but also supports government efforts to design effective educational interventions and policies to improve digital inclusion for this demographic.