Exploring the Reciprocal Relationships between Happiness and Life Satisfaction of Working Adults—Evidence from Abu Dhabi

This paper examines the relationships between a range of well-being factors and two commonly used subjective well-being measures-happiness and life satisfaction. Data from the second cycle of the Quality of Life (QoL) Survey in Abu Dhabi were used, which included 32,087 working adults. The well-being factors included in the analysis covered various aspects of life themes: income and jobs, work-home balance, health and physical activities, social and community services, living environment, and family/friends' relationships and connections. Using standardized data, path analysis yielded an optimal path model that suggested the presence of a reciprocal relationship between happiness and life satisfaction. In addition, the final model suggested that four variables-job satisfaction, mental health, satisfaction with relationships with people, and the size of the social support network-had direct effects on happiness and life satisfaction. The model also identified three variables-satisfaction with family life, mental health, and job satisfaction-to have the most significant effect on happiness.