Background and Study Aim: Life satisfaction is an overall assessment of satisfaction with one`s own achievements and living conditions. It encourages activity and better coping with difficulties and obstacles. According to Juczynski, life satisfaction is the result of comparing one`s own situation with personal standards. When analyzing life satisfaction, one should consider the importance of physical activity and sport as dominant factors. The aim of the study is to identify determinants of life satisfaction in karate practitioners and team sports players. We accept the hypothesis that the type of practiced sport differentiates and significant affects the levels of athletes` life satisfaction. Material and Methods: The study involved 110 team sports players and 90 martial arts practitioners. The sample selection was purposive, and accounted for respondents` high sporting level. The Polish adaptation of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) was used to assess the life satisfaction of surveyed athletes. Results: The obtained results indicate that both groups of athletes are characterized by higher levels of life satisfaction in relation to the general adult Polish population. In the analysis of life satisfaction determinants only two were found to be statistically significant: health behaviors and marital status. Other factors such as age, education, financial situation, gender, and type of sport do not determine life satisfaction. Conclusions: It is worthwhile to promote physical activity and other health behaviors, as they can contribute significantly to better life satisfaction. Practicing sports may be a key determinant of a high level of life satisfaction.
© Copyright 2020 Archives of Budo. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.