School of Economics, Xihua University, Chengdu, China.
School of Economics, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
BMC Psychol. 2024 Oct 31;12(1):612. doi: 10.1186/s40359-024-02125-6.
In the context of a gradual increase in aging, improving the mental health of the elderly is particularly vital for coping with aging. Leveraging data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies, this study rigorously examines the influence of short video on the mental health of the elderly.
We use a multiple linear regression model to investigate the influence of short video usage on the mental health of the elderly. To address endogeneity concerns, this study employs two-stage least squares and propensity score matching to estimate the impact of short video usage on the mental health of the elderly.
The empirical analysis reveals a substantive and statistically significant enhancement in the mental health of elderly people attributable to the use of short videos. To ensure the reliability and robustness of our estimations, a comprehensive battery of robustness tests is conducted, all of which consistently support the conclusion of a positive association between short video usage and improved mental health among the elderly. Furthermore, the results of the heterogeneity analysis suggest that short videos have less of an impact on elderly males and individuals with higher levels of education. The results of the mechanism analysis indicate that the use of short videos can enhance the mental health of elderly individuals by positively impacting the intergenerational relationships between them and their children, as well as their leisure consumption habits.
This study can provide policy inspiration for the government to improve the mental health of the elderly and achieve active aging.
在人口老龄化逐渐加剧的背景下，提升老年人的心理健康水平对于应对老龄化尤为重要。本研究利用 2020 年中国家庭追踪调查数据，深入探讨了短视频使用对老年人心理健康的影响。
采用多元线性回归模型考察了短视频使用对老年人心理健康的影响。为解决内生性问题，本研究采用两阶段最小二乘法和倾向得分匹配法估计了短视频使用对老年人心理健康的影响。
实证分析表明，短视频的使用对老年人的心理健康有实质性的显著提升作用。为了保证估计的可靠性和稳健性，进行了一系列稳健性检验，所有检验结果均支持短视频使用与老年人心理健康改善之间存在正相关关系的结论。此外，异质性分析的结果表明，短视频对老年男性和受教育程度较高的老年人的影响较小。机制分析的结果表明，短视频的使用可以通过积极影响老年人与子女的代际关系以及他们的休闲消费习惯，从而提高老年人的心理健康水平。
本研究可以为政府改善老年人心理健康、实现积极老龄化提供政策启示。
