The Impact of Internet Use on the Subjective Age of Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Empirical Study

Subjective age, referring to an individual’s self-perception of aging, serves as a significant indicator of active aging. Against the backdrop of population aging and the increasing digital engagement of older adults, examining how internet use influences subjective age carries important contemporary relevance for promoting active aging. Drawing on data from the 2020 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), this study employs ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to demonstrate that internet use exerts a significant negative effect on subjective age among older adults, meaning that internet users report feeling younger than their non-user counterparts. Furthermore, through stepwise regression, the study confirms the mediating roles of occupational engagement and social adaptation in the relationship between internet use and subjective age. These findings highlight the need to accelerate the development of an age-friendly digital ecosystem with supportive institutional frameworks, lower barriers to internet access, and foster a younger subjective age among older adults, thereby contributing to the proactive response to population aging.