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Abstract Aim Due to its negative impact on health and subjective well-being (SWB), digital stress is increasingly recognized as a public health concern. While prior research has largely focused on digital stress in specific settings (e.g., the workplace), less is known about its distribution and effects on SWB in the general population, particularly in Austria. This study addresses this research gap while placing an additional emphasis on the moderating role of age. Subject and methods Analyses are based on data from the representative 2024 Social Survey Austria (N = 1,546) and a newly developed scale on self-reported digital stress (DIST). Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models are used to explore the relationships between information and communication technology (ICT) use, digital stress, and SWB. To address age as a potential moderator, we conduct Conditional Process Analysis to assess whether digital stress mediates the relationship between ICT use and SWB in all age groups. Results We find that digital stress is highest among individuals aged 16–29, while being generally associated with lower SWB. Although more frequent ICT use also correlates negatively with SWB, it does not predict digital stress in the general population. However, both relationships are moderated by age, with more negative correlates of ICT use observed among younger Austrians. The mediating role of digital stress is only evident for the youngest respondents. Conclusion In sum, this study highlights the relevance of digital stress in relation to subjective well-being. It suggests that Austrian health policy should take preventive measures to address the negative association between digital stress and SWB, especially among youth.
Etter et al. (Thu,) studied this question.