Dual Mediating Effect of Electronic Device Utilization and Life Satisfaction on the Relationship between Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Depression in Older Adults

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), depression, electronic device utilization (EDU) and life satisfaction in older adults and to evaluate the dual mediating effect of EDU and life satisfaction on the relationship between IADL and depression. A secondary data analysis of the 2020 Korean Elderly Survey was carried out with 9906 older adults. The dual mediating effect was analyzed using model 6 of PROCESS Macro for SPSS v. 4.1 (New York, NY, USA). EDU (B = −0.010, 95% CI [0.007, 0.013]) and life satisfaction (B = 0.071, 95% CI [0.064, 0.079]) each had a mediating effect on the relationship between IADL and depression in older adults, and in particular, these two variables were shown to dual mediate (B = 0.017, 95% CI [0.015, 0.019]). This study confirmed that life satisfaction can be increased and depression decreased by improving the ability to use electronic devices to combat the limitations in daily functioning due to aging. It is necessary to establish a strategy to increase EDU as a part of the intervention methods for managing depression in older adults.