Digital Literacy and International Students’ Subjective Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience and Positive Affective Engagement

In the global digital revolution, digital literacy has emerged as a critical competency that influences the academic progress and social integration of international students, as well as significantly impacting their subjective well-being in host countries. This study employed a questionnaire survey among 455 international students in China and used structural equation modeling and STATA to examine the impact of digital literacy on international students’ subjective well-being and its underlying mechanisms. Empirical results revealed that digital literacy had a significant positive direct effect on subjective well-being (β = 0.425, p < 0.001). Psychological resilience mediated this relationship (indirect effect = 0.307, S.E. = 0.046, 95% CI = [0.216, 0.397]), and positive affective engagement also served as a mediator (indirect effect = 0.129, S.E. = 0.053, 95% CI = [0.023, 0.230]). These findings indicate that digital literacy not only directly enhances international students’ well-being but also operates through two indirect pathways: by fostering resilience and by stimulating positive affective experiences in creative learning and community co-construction. This study elevates digital literacy from a “tool skill” to “survival capital” within the antecedent model of Chinese international students’ well-being, offering a new perspective and analytical framework for cross-cultural adaptation research in the digital age. Furthermore, it uncovers the dual pathways through which digital literacy affects international students’ subjective well-being, deepening the understanding of cross-cultural adaptability in the digital era, and carrying significant theoretical value and practical implications.