Offspring media mediation, loneliness, and digital addiction among older adults: evidence from PLS-SEM and fsQCA

OBJECTIVES: Drawing on media mediation theory, this study investigates how active and restrictive mediation by adult children is associated with digital addiction among older adults, and examines the roles of loneliness and subjective emptiness. METHOD: This study adopts a complementary quantitative approach, using survey data from 1,081 older adults. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) assessed net effects among key variables, while fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) identified configurational pathways associated with digital addiction. RESULTS: The PLS-SEM results indicate that active offspring mediation is not significantly associated with digital addiction, whereas restrictive mediation is positively associated with it. Loneliness and subjective emptiness are both significantly associated with digital addiction, with subjective emptiness showing the strongest association. The fsQCA findings further demonstrate equifinality, revealing multiple configurations associated with digital addiction, and psychological deprivation, particularly subjective emptiness and loneliness, plays a central role. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that restrictive intergenerational mediation is positively associated with digital addiction, while subjective emptiness shows a stronger association than mediation style alone. Family-based interventions should integrate emotional support and respectful guidance rather than relying exclusively on restrictive strategies.