Balancing opportunities and challenges: the double-edged psychological impacts of digital technology empowerment on rural homestay practitioners

With the increasing prevalence of digital technology, its impacts on worker well-being remain a critical area of inquiry. However, existing research often neglects the dual effects of digital empowerment, particularly in resource-constrained rural contexts. By exploring how digital technology empowerment influences psychological well-being among rural homestay practitioners, this study focuses on the mediating roles of job autonomy and technology anxiety, as well as the moderating role of digital technology self-efficacy. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), this study analyzes survey data from 277 rural homestay practitioners in China using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that digital technological empowerment enhances psychological well-being by increasing perceived job autonomy, and likewise negatively affects it by increasing perceived technology anxiety. Additionally, digital technology self-efficacy amplifies the positive effects of empowerment on psychological well-being, but it has a limited impact on reducing technology anxiety. This study extends SDT to the digital technology context and provides a comprehensive understanding of its dual effects on well-being. Practically, the findings offer actionable recommendations for optimizing technology design, strengthening organizational support systems, and fostering user confidence.