Digital self-efficacy and digital anxiety among older adults in Bangkok : a mixed-methods case study at the Yannawa elderly school

Title: Digital self-efficacy and digital anxiety among older adults in Bangkok : a mixed-methods case study at the Yannawa elderly school

Author: Stephen Baker

Year: 2025

Keywords:

Themes: Innovation for Inclusive Development, Digital Technology and Development

Advisor(s): Pimsiri Aroonsri

The full thesis is available here.

Abstract: Thailand is undergoing a dual transformation marked by rapid digitalisation under the Thailand 4.0 agenda and an accelerated transition into a super-aged society. While national strategies prioritise digital infrastructure and high-value labour, older adults remain disproportionately excluded from meaningful participation in the digital economy. This exclusion is less a problem of access than of low digital self-efficacy, technology anxiety, and sociocultural factors that shape how older adults experience and respond to digital environments. Within community contexts, these barriers are often reinforced by fear of making mistakes, reliance on others, and norms such as Kreng jai, contributing to a persistent “grey digital divide.” Existing digital literacy initiatives tend to emphasise technical skills while overlooking the psychological and relational conditions necessary for confidence-building and sustained engagement. Drawing on Sen’s capability approach, Bandura’s social learning theory and principles of andragogy. This study uses a mixed methods design to investigate the levels of digital self-efficacy and digitisation anxiety among older adults at the Yannawa Elderly School in Bangkok and to explore the physical, psychological and sociocultural barriers that shape their digital learning experiences. The findings establish an empirical baseline and identify implications for design of inclusive, community embedded digital literacy programmes that support sustainable digital inclusion and productive ageing.