Do Digital Literacy Skills Mitigate Technostress? Validation and Insights from Gen Z

Abstract

Although digital literacy and technostress are interrelated, a distinct research
gap remains in exploring their multidimensional relationship, particularly
among Generation Z students. This research investigated how various digital
literacy dimensions influence technostress. The measurement tool applied here
evaluates digital literacy across six specific sub-components. The construct
comprises the following sub-components: ethic and responsibility, general
knowledge and functional skills, daily usage, advanced production, privacy and
security, and social dimension. The research is designed with a quantitative and
correlational method. Data has been collected from 204 students at the Faculty
of Economics and Administrative Sciences of a state university in Türkiye. The
average age of this Gen Z sample was 21 (M = 20.93, SD = 5.35). The findings
suggest that there is a negative correlation between general knowledge and
functional skills and technostress. Moreover, having robust general knowledge
and functional skills serves as a significant negative predictor of technostress.
The effects of the other sub-dimensions on technostress were not significant.
Another original output is the Turkish adaptation of the technostress scale.
Theoretically, not all digital skills alleviate stress equally. Practically,
universities should prioritize enhancing students' general knowledge and
functional skills.