Difference in well-being between handball players and ones not physically active

Abstract

Subjective well-being is a good indicator of the individual's psychological health. High levels of subjective well-being have been found in adolescents who are regularly physically active, less prone to negative emotions, more easily able to cope with life's problems and challenges, have a lower body mass index, and exhibit higher levels of life satisfaction. The participants in this research were adolescents from the Republic of Croatia, N = 756, of which 407 (53.8%) were handball players and 349 (46.2%) were adolescents from the control group not physically active. The research was conducted in elementary schools and handball clubs with adolescents in 2006 and 2007. Instruments used in this research are Life Satisfaction Scale and PANAS. Adolescent handball players are more satisfied with life, they express higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect compared to adolescents who are not involved in some form of kinesiology activities.