Digital echoes: Investigating the impact of online time on happiness and well-being in abu dhabi

This study examines the impact of online time on well-being among Abu Dhabi residents using data from the fourth Quality-of-Life Survey. Unlike prior studies, this research explores multiple determinants: online time, happiness, subjective health, mental health, self-perceived obesity, exercise, satisfaction with family life, and social relationships. A significant path model reveals that online time adversely affects mental health, self-perceived obesity, sleep quality, and exercise, but positively correlates with happiness and subjective health. The negative effects on mental health notably influence happiness, family life satisfaction, social relationships, subjective health, and exercise. Mental health also mediates these relationships, underscoring its importance in overall well-being. Differences in online hours and well-being determinants are found across gender, age, education, nationality, and marital status. The study underscores the need for interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of excessive online time and improve well-being across demographic groups.