Empowering digital inclusion
Internet skills, usage, and self-efficacy as determinants of economic satisfaction among unemployed people
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17832207 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Majid Mapkhot Goaill (University of Ha'il), Adel Abdulmohsen Alfalah (0000-0001-7770-4004, University of Ha'il), Yaser Hasan Al‐Mamary (0000-0001-5495-8490, University of Ha'il, corresponding author), Aliyu Alhaji Abubakar (0009-0007-5744-7996, University of Ha'il), Nezar Mohammed Al‐Samhi (University of Ha'il), Isyaku Salisu (0000-0002-2277-1805, University of Ha'il), Mohammad Alshallaqi (0000-0002-5855-9574, Alfaisal University), Homoud Alhaidan (0000-0001-7343-3868, University of Ha'il) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-05 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2662-9992 • E-ISSN: 2662-9992 |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1057/s41599-026-06678-2 |
| OpenAlex | W7133980683 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 59 |
This study investigates how internet skills, usage, and internet self-efficacy influence the economic satisfaction of unemployed individuals in Saudi Arabia. Grounded in Digital Inclusion Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory, the research explores how specific digital skills and confidence in using the internet can contribute to improved economic outcomes. Primary data were collected through a survey of 314 graduates looking for job opportunities and analyzed by using partial least squares (PLS), with results revealing critical insights. Among the tested hypotheses, operational internet skills, social internet skills, and AI-related skills were found to positively impact economic internet use, while information-navigation and creative internet skills did not. Internet usage for economic activities proved to be a major factor that influences both economic satisfaction and internet self-efficacy. Internet self-efficacy emerged as a key mediator between economic internet usage and economic contentment according to the research findings. The study demonstrates that people need to learn particular digital competencies and enhance their self-efficacy to enable jobless individuals to use the internet for economic gain. The study demonstrates that digital inclusion programs can increase economic satisfaction and reduce unemployment while supporting sustainable development in Saudi Arabia
Contentment · Digital divide · Digital Inclusion · Internet access · Internet research · The Internet · Unemployment · Cyberloafing and Workplace Behavior · Gender and Technology in Education · Technology Adoption and User Behaviour
Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences
Understanding Digital Inequality
An empirical comparison of the efficacy of covariance-based and variance-based SEM
Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error
Consumer Acceptance and Use of Information Technology
Common method biases in behavioral research
A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling
Common Method Bias in PLS-SEM
Discourse and Ideology
Measuring user competence in using artificial intelligence
Identity profiles and digital engagement among Finnish high school students
Self-efficacy
Attitudes of Young People to Job Searching through Social Media
Collateral benefits of Internet use
High-speed broadband availability, Internet activity among older people, quality of life and loneliness
Benefits and harms from Internet use
The outcomes of gaining digital skills for young people’s lives and wellbeing
Internet Self-Efficacy and the Psychology of the Digital Divide
Measuring internet skills in a general population
The Digital Divide as a Complex and Dynamic Phenomenon
Is Internet Job Search Still Ineffective
Rethinking Internet skills
Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency
Uberland
Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation
Comparing Internet Experiences and Prosociality in Amazon Mechanical Turk and Population-Based Survey Samples
Financial Satisfaction in Old Age
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |