Bridging the digital divide in later life
An integrative framework linking structure, self-efficacy, and technology acceptance
Datos Bibliográficos
| ID | 21537591 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Longyu Sui (0009-0009-0811-1112, Arizona State University, autor de correspondencia) |
| Año | 2026 |
| Páginas | 1-19 |
| Fecha de publicación | 2026-04-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Sí |
| Open Access | No |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Revista | Educational Gerontology (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores de la revista | ISSN: 0360-1277 • E-ISSN: 1521-0472 |
| Editorial | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/03601277.2026.2663339 |
| OpenAlex | W7154957925 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Referencias citadas | 76 |
Population aging and digital transformation are unfolding simultaneously, yet relevant evidence remains scattered across structural, psychological, and behavioral literatures. This narrative review synthesizes research on the digital divide, self-efficacy, and the TAM/UTAUT tradition to examine how older adults participate in digital opportunities by linking opportunity structures, psychological readiness, technology adoption, and related outcomes in social participation and well-being. The review includes English-language studies published from 2015 to 2025, supplemented by backward and forward citation tracing. Structural resources, supportive environments, and trustworthy design create digital opportunities for older adults. Self-efficacy supports the transition from capability to intention, whereas anxiety and privacy concerns are associated with weaker sustained use. Age-related differences also appear: younger-old adults respond more to perceived usefulness, but older-old adults rely more on ease of use and felt mastery. Formal supports, community-based training, and intergenerational mentoring are associated with stronger engagement, and repeated successful low-risk experiences may reinforce continued reuse. Based on this evidence, this review proposes an integrated mechanism map and four propositional reflections highlighting the mediating role of self-efficacy, the conditional influence of socioeconomic status and health, and the buffering effects of supportive contexts. It further suggests that equity-oriented program design, evaluation practices that measure sustained use and participation over time, and institutional protections for opting out are important for supporting older adults in digitally enabled opportunities
Computer-mediated communication · Digital divide · Qualitative research · Technology integration · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Technology Adoption and User Behaviour · Technology Use by Older Adults
From internet access to internet skills
Technology Adoption by Older Adults
Social Support and “Playing Around”
Understanding differentiated internet use in older adults
Older Adults’ Internet Use for Health Information
Rethinking social relationships in old age
Empowering older adults
How “basic” is basic digital literacy for older adults? Insights from digital skills instructors
Exploring the intersections of immigrant seniors’ digital literacies and social connectedness
Acceptance of digital health services among older adults
A study on digital inclusion of Chinese rural older adults from a life course perspective
The Elderly Digital Divide
ICT volunteering as a protective factor for older adults
Creating supportive environments and enhancing personal perception to bridge the digital divide among older adults
Older adults’ technology anxiety as a barrier to digital inclusion
Factors Influencing Intention to Technological Use in Older Adults. The TAM Model Aplication
Understanding older adults’ Internet use and psychological benefits
Mapping the two levels of digital divide
The Effects of Covid-19 Among the Elderly Population
Educational Concepts of Digital Competence Development for Older Adults—A Scoping Review
Inclusion of Older Adults in the Research and Design of Digital Technology
A Multilevel Model of Older Adults’ Appropriation of ICT and Acquisition of Digital Literacy
Technology and Quality of Life of Older People in Times of Covid
Older adults’ self-perception, technology anxiety, and intention to use digital public services
Problematizing the Digital Literacy Paradox in the Context of Older Adults’ ICT Use
The digital divide has grown old
Contrasting Internet Adoption in Early and Advanced Old Age
Bridging the Digital Divide for Older Adults via Intergenerational Mentor-Up
Motivation matters
Experience of digital music services and digital self-efficacy among older adults
Using a Quasi-Experimental Study to Examine Program Participation and Outcomes for Older Adult Intergenerational Technology Program Participants
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| Velocidad de citación | historical |
|---|---|
| Altamente citado | No |