Article: Identification of consumption effects and heterogeneity detection in the digital economy using PSO-BP and a causal inference framework Journal: International Journal of Information and Communication Technology (IJICT) 2026 Vol.27 No.82 pp.17 - 34 Abstract: This study integrates a backpropagation neural network optimised by particle swarm optimisation with a two-stage least squares causal inference framework to analyse household data from the China Household Finance Survey. The approach mitigates endogeneity from reverse causality. Results indicate that the digital economy expands household financial consumption scale and optimises consumption structure. Mechanism tests show that household property income and household head financial literacy mediate this effect, with a sequential mediation pathway from financial literacy to property income. Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger effects in regions with advanced financial development and among risk-preferring households. These findings provide empirical evidence for the role of the digital economy in consumption upgrading. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Identification of consumption effects and heterogeneity detection in the digital economy using PSO-BP and a causal inference framework

Authors: Xuanyi Zhang; Yan Zhang

Addresses: Faculty of New Commercial Science, Anhui Sanlian University, Hefei, 230601, China ' Faculty of New Commercial Science, Anhui Sanlian University, Hefei, 230601, China

Abstract: This study integrates a backpropagation neural network optimised by particle swarm optimisation with a two-stage least squares causal inference framework to analyse household data from the China Household Finance Survey. The approach mitigates endogeneity from reverse causality. Results indicate that the digital economy expands household financial consumption scale and optimises consumption structure. Mechanism tests show that household property income and household head financial literacy mediate this effect, with a sequential mediation pathway from financial literacy to property income. Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger effects in regions with advanced financial development and among risk-preferring households. These findings provide empirical evidence for the role of the digital economy in consumption upgrading.

Keywords: digital economy; household financial consumption; PSO-BP models; causal inference; heterogeneity detection; CHFS data.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICT.2026.155115

International Journal of Information and Communication Technology, 2026 Vol.27 No.82, pp.17 - 34

Received: 24 Dec 2025
Accepted: 29 Mar 2026
Published online: 27 Jul 2026 *

Title: Identification of consumption effects and heterogeneity detection in the digital economy using PSO-BP and a causal inference framework

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