Settling on the Road: The Impact of Adaptation Needs on the Well-Being of Digital Nomads – The Mediating Roles of Behavioral Patterns and Psychological Sense of Belonging

This research explores the critical role of adaptation needs in shaping the well-being of digital nomads. Drawing upon cross-cultural adaptation theory, social behavioral theory, and belongingness theory, we conceptualize adaptation needs in three dimensions: environmental adaptation, social support, and cultural integration. A mediation model is proposed to examine how these adaptation needs influence well-being through two key psychological mechanisms – behavioral patterns and psychological sense of belonging. The results reveal that: (1) Environmental adaptation needs do not exert a significant direct effect on well-being, whereas social support needs and cultural integration needs have a significant positive impact; (2) Behavioral patterns mediate the relationships between environmental adaptation needs, social support needs, and well-being, while psychological sense of belonging mediates the relationships between social support needs, cultural integration needs, and well-being; (3) Behavioral patterns and psychological sense of belonging jointly exert a sequential (chain) mediation effect in the pathway from adaptation needs to well-being. These findings offer both theoretical contributions to the understanding of mobile lifestyle adaptation and practical implications for destination managers and service providers aiming to enhance the quality of life for digital nomads.