Leisure Constraints and Subjective Well-Being: The Case of Recreational Sport Participants

This paper aimed to examine whether and how constraint dimensions interact with subjective well-being, measured in a holistic approach with the PERMA profiler, and in relation to recreational sport participation. The data were collected via an on-site survey, in a sample of five hundred Greek adult individuals (N = 500). The results showed that intrapersonal constraints had the strongest negative influence on individuals’ intentions to participate in sports. Furthermore, intrapersonal and interpersonal constraints negatively influenced intentions, through PERMA. While constraints had a direct negative impact on intentions, subjective well-being was shown to mitigate this effect. These results provide support and further extend the hierarchical model of leisure constraints, with the inclusion of a new variable – subjective well-being, as measured with a holistic approach (PERMA profiler). The policy implications of these results, related to sport participation promotion, are discussed.