How digital literacy promotes subjective well-being of rural users in remote areas

While substantial progress has been made in e-commerce and the internet, the digital divide persists in remote regions worldwide. Enhancing digital literacy is crucial for integrating rural users into the digital society. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to investigate how digital literacy can enhance the subjective well-being of rural users. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 26 rural users from remote regions of China. A three-step grounded theory coding process was used to construct a conceptual model on the impact of digital literacy on subjective well-being. In the quantitative phase, the conceptual model was empirically validated using structural equation modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0 software, based on data from 605 valid questionnaires. Findings show that digital literacy boosts self-efficacy through perceived autonomy, relatedness, and competence, and promotes subjective well-being through perceived relatedness, and competence. Social isolation also emerged as a positive moderator, enhancing the effect of digital literacy on self-determination. This study provides theoretical contributions and practical recommendations for narrowing the digital divide in remote areas

Data collection · Digital divide · Digital Literacy · Literacy · Social isolation · Social media · Gender and Technology in Education · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Technology Use by Older Adults