Technology-Family Reciprocity in Later Life: Bidirectional Associations Linking Smart Home Device Use and Intergenerational Support

This study examined whether smart home device use and intergenerational support function as complementary or substitutive resources in later life. Drawing on 4,671 older adults from the 2018, 2020, and 2023 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, cross-lagged panel models assessed reciprocal associations, depressive-symptom mediation, and urban-rural heterogeneity. Smart home device use and intergenerational support showed significant bidirectional associations, with small but significant indirect pathways through depressive symptoms. The indirect pathway from intergenerational support to later device use was evident among urban older adults, whereas the reverse pathway was evident among rural older adults. Findings support technology-family complementarity in later life.