psychological well-being, happiness, and life satisfaction across age groups of athletes and non-athletes

Background and objectives :the present study examined psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and happiness among athletes and non-athletes across different age groups. methods :a causal-comparative design was employed in 2022 - 2023 with 610 participants from chaharmahal and bakhtiari province. participants were selected using proportional stratified cluster sampling. psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and happiness were assessed using ryff's psychological well-being scale (pws), diener's satisfaction with life scale (swls), and lyubomirsky and lepper's subjective happiness scale (shs). data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (manova) in spss 26. results :the findings revealed a significant difference between athletes and non-athletes in psychological well-being, happiness, and life satisfaction (p < 0.001). conclusions :regular sports participation is associated with higher psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and happiness. policymakers should encourage physical activity through accessible programs to improve both mental and physical health.