Physical Exercise and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate to what extent physical activity influences individuals´ life satisfaction. The sample consisted of 219 adolescents, of whom 109 were males and 110 were females between the ages of twelve (12) and seventeen (17). The mean age was 14.42 years. The instrument used to measure life satisfaction was the Life SatisfactionScale (SWLS) developed by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin (1985), translated and adapted to the Portuguese population by Neto (1990, 1993), and to evaluate the level of physical activity, the scale developed by Prochaska, Sallis, and Long (2001) was used. The results showed that individuals who practice physical exercise have higher levels of satisfaction with life than those who do not exercise. It was also observed that males presented higher levels of physical exercise compared to females, as well as higher levels of satisfaction with life. In sum, physical activity has a positive impact on the person´s life satisfaction.