Relationship between residents’ sporting life and hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in Hiroshima: the mediating role of PERMA in sport

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between residents’ sporting life and domain-specific and global well-being, including hedonic and eudaimonic perspectives. Based on the bottom-up theory, we hypothesized the mediating role of PERMA in sport (domain-specific well-being) on the relationship between indicators of sporting life and global well-being (life satisfaction and flourishing). Research methods: Hiroshima residents (n = 946), selected through stratified sampling, participated in an Internet-based survey; we performed structural equation modeling to test the hypothesis model. Results and findings: Consistent with our hypotheses, the study reveals that moderate physical activity (PA), watching sport, and team identification are positively associated with life satisfaction and flourishing, while sedentary behavior is negatively related. However, vigorous PA was not significantly related to life satisfaction or flourishing. All significant indirect effects were fully mediated by PERMA. Implications: These findings contribute to the literature by extending our understanding of the role of sporting life on well-being by highlighting the cumulative impact of sport on daily life.