LIFE SATISFACTION AND MENTAL HEALTH IN PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES

Abstract

Introduction: Numerous studies worldwide write about the positive effect of sports on life satisfaction
and mental health of people, especially professional athletes.
Objective: Investigate life satisfaction and mental health of professional athletes.
Subjects and methods: The subjects are professional athletes of the Croatian Women's Handball Club
Zrinjski from Mostar and the Croatian Basketball Club Široki from Široki Brijeg. The following
instruments were used to achieve the set objectives: The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and SelfAssessment Questionnaire SCL - 90 (Symptom Checklist 90).
Results: Professional athletes were statistically less educated, with a smaller percentage of smoking and
drinking alcoholic beverages. Women were statistically more educated than men. Professional athletes
achieved statistically lower scores on the scales for somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms,
depression, anxiety, phobias, psychotic traits, nonspecific symptoms, Positive Symptom Distress Index
(PSDI), Global Severity Index (GSI), but scored significantly higher on the SWLS. Professional female
athletes achieved statistically higher results on the scales of interpersonal vulnerability, anxiety and
phobia.
Conclusion: Professional athletes showed significantly fewer mental symptoms and greater life
satisfaction when compared to students of the Faculty of Health Studies in Mostar who do not engage
in professional sports.
Key words: satisfaction, health, soul, professional athletes, students