Impact of sports activities on happiness and mental well-being of tribal-student athletes and non-athletes: A comparative analysis

Abstract

This comparative study explored the impact of sports activities on the Happiness and Mental well-being of the tribal-student athletes and non-athletes. It also aimed to find out the relationship between Happiness and Mental well-being of the tribal-students across athletic status. The study was conducted on a sample of 120 tribal college students (60 tribal athletes and 60 tribal non-athletes). There were 30 males and 30 females each under athletes and non-athletes student categories involved in different sporting events. They were selected from KISS-DU through purposive sampling. Happiness and Mental well-being of the participants were assessed using standardized scales. The findings of the study revealed that tribal-student athletes had higher level of Happiness and Mental well-being compared to their non-athletes counterparts. More so, Male tribal-student athletes were happier and enjoyed better mental well-being than the Female-student athletes. It was further revealed that there was a positive and significant association between Happiness and Mental well-being of tribal students irrespective of their participation in sports. It was the highest in case of Female tribal-student athletes. Results thus, implicated that physical sport activities kept tribal students happy and contributed to their overall Happiness and Well-being. Getting engaged in physical activities like sports and games helped students in the secretion of feel good hormones which kept them happy, energetic and vibrant. These findings can be extended beyond educational setting, emphasizing on the importance of integrating physical activity and sports in life, to foster Happiness and Mental well-being among tribal students.