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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Smartphone function preference patterns and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: A cluster
Leyi Fang1, Linwen Cheng1, Yan Cai1
1School of Medicine (School of Nursing), Huzhou University, Huzhou, China.
Introduction:
Global population aging has heightened attention to cognitive health. As smartphone adoption increases, diverse usage patterns may differentially associate with cognition. However, the associations between specific functional preference patterns and cognitive domains remain under-explored.
Methods:
We analyzed 4805 middle-aged and older adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2020 wave. A combined clustering approach (Latent Class Analysis and K-modes algorithm) identified smartphone usage patterns based on functional preferences. The optimal four-cluster solution was selected using model fit indices (AIC, BIC and Entropy) and interpretability. Cognitive function was assessed via episodic memory, mental intactness (orientation and attention), and a total cognitive score. Weighted linear regression models, adjusting for age, gender, education, residence, and self-rated health, were used to further estimate the associations.
Results:
Four patterns were identified: Broad social and entertainment user (n = 1674), Social and information-oriented user (n = 501), Broadly engaging multimodal user (n = 2026), and Information and utility user (n = 604). Compared to the reference group, the broadly engaging multimodal user group showed the strongest negative association with total cognitive score ( ꞵ = -0.437, 95% CI: [-0.640, -0.235], p < 0.001), episodic memory ( ꞵ = -0.188, 95% CI: [-0.299, -0.075], p = 0.001), and mental intactness ( ꞵ = -0.249, 95% CI: [-0.405, -0.093], p = 0.002). Similarly, the social and information-oriented group was associated with lower total cognition ( ꞵ = -0.361, 95% CI: [-0.564, -0.157], p < 0.001). The information and utility user group showed no significant cognitive differences from the reference group (all p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
Different smartphone functional preference patterns are associated with variations in cognitive performance. Broad social and entertainment users and information and utility users exhibit relatively higher cognitive scores, whereas patterns characterized by broadly engaging multimodal use or social and information-oriented preferences are linked to lower cognitive performance. These findings suggest that the specific profile of smartphone engagement is a relevant correlate of cognitive health in middle-aged and older adults.
