Dr. Areej ElSayary

Societal Question 4: Why Do Some People Thrive in Digital Environments While Others Struggle?

This line of research developed in response to a persistent and underexplored question: why do some individuals flourish in cyberspaces while others experience harm, disengagement, or loss of self? The publications begin by mapping the behavioral and psychological landscape of digital life, examining how social media, online identities, problematic internet use, and personality traits shape well-being outcomes, and move progressively toward rigorous empirical investigation. These works build a coherent evidence base for understanding digital flourishing as a psychologically complex, individually variable, and structurally shaped phenomenon.

Research Areas: Cyberpsychology | Digital Well-being | Online Behavior | Cyberbullying | Problematic Internet Use | Online Moral Disengagement | Digital Identity

Milestone 1 (2023–2024)
Milestone 2 (2025–2026)

Milestone 1 (2023-2024)

Mapping the Digital Behavioral Landscape, Patterns, Identities, and Psychological Correlates

This phase mapped the behavioral and psychological landscape of digital life through exploratory and literature-based studies. Research reviewed how social media behaviors affect anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and life satisfaction; examined how online identities form through digital interactions; and investigated how problematic internet use shapes moral reasoning, identifying the key variables for the empirical testing that followed.

Conference Papers

  • ElSayary, A., Aljneibi, M., & Abuali, R. (2024). The Relationship Between Personality Traits and Sustaining Young People’s Well-Being: A Comprehensive Literature review. Proceedings, 131-138. https://doi.org/10.54808/imsci2024.01.131
  • ElSayary, A., Alzaffin, R. A., & Alsuwaidi, M. E. (2024). Navigating Digital Identities: The influence of online interactions on youth cyber psychology and cyber behavior. Proceedings, 123-130. https://doi.org/10.54808/imsci2024.01.123
  • AlAhbabi, A., AlTeneiji, A., AlShaer, A., AlJaberi, G., & ElSayary, A. (2024). The effect of social media on anxiety and stress. Proceedings, 193-199. https://doi.org/10.54808/wmsci2024.01.193
  • Ahbabi, A. A., Teneiji, A. A., Shaer, A. A., Jaberi, G. A., & ElSayary, A. (2024). The effects of social media on Self-Esteem. Proceedings, 185-192. https://doi.org/10.54808/wmsci2024.01.185
  • Binsafwan, A., AlHameli, Z., & ElSayary, A. (2024). Negative effects on productivity and life satisfaction through social media. Proceedings, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.54808/wmsci2024.01.1

Book Chapters

  • ElSayary, A. (2024). The Problematic Internet Use and Its Impact on Young People’s Online Moral Disengagement. In ElSayary, A. & Olowoselu, A. (2024). Interdisciplinary Approaches for Educators’ and Learners’ Well-being: Transforming Education for Sustainable Development. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65215-8_16

Milestone 2 (2025-2026)

Empirical Insights: Cyber Behaviors, Personality Traits, and Differential Digital Well-Being

This phase produced rigorous empirical evidence on why digital outcomes diverge so markedly between individuals. Quantitative and structural equation modeling studies revealed how Big Five personality traits moderate the relationship between cyber behaviors and both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, providing a robust foundation for targeted digital well-being interventions.

Journal Papers

  • ElSayary, A., Calmaestra, J. & Gómez-López, M. (2026). Cyber Behaviors and Well-Being in Emerging Adults: Patterns, Determinants, and Gender Differences. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1155/hbe2/7545763
  • ElSayary, A., Calmaestra, J. & Gómez-López, M. (2026). The association between cyber behaviors and hedonic and eudaimonic well-being: the moderating role of personality traits. BMC Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03812-8

Conference Papers

  • Memari, M. A., Remeithi, M. A., Zaabi, A. A., & ElSayary, A. (2025). The impact of social media on adolescents’ emotional regulation. Proceedings of the 29th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (WMSCI 2025), 267-272. https://doi.org/10.54808/wmsci2025.01.267

Book Chapters

  • ElSayary, A. & Ragab, K. (2026). Cyber Behavior and Cognitive Outcomes: Navigating Digital Engagement in Modern Education. In Implications for Students’ Mental Health in the Digital Age: AI and Cyber Behavior (pp. 1-30). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4222-1.ch001

Books (Monographs and Edited Volumes)

  • ElSayary, A. & Shomotova, A. (2026). Implications for Students’ Mental Health in the Digital Age: AI and Cyber Behavior. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4222-1
  • ElSayary, A. (2027). Digital Identities, AI Ethics, and Mental Health: Impacts of Technology on Cyber Behaviors and Personality Traits. Routledge: Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003657590

Thesis

  • ElSayary, A. (2026). Behind the screens: Cyber Behaviors, Personality Traits, and Well-being among Emerging Adults in the United Arab Emirates. University of Cordoba, Spain Digital Repository.