*3.3.1 Comparison of optimism in boys and girls*

Boys come out more optimistic (**Figure 9**) than girls about the future (O1: U = 2583.5, p < .001), about thinking that good things are going to happen to them (O3: U = 4695, p = .012), about the belief that things will work out no matter how difficult they seem (O4: U = 4732.5, p = .014).

The overall optimism factor in boys also shows statistical significance in comparison with girls (U = 3852.5, p < .001).

### **Figure 9.**

*Optimism: Partial statements and overall factor in boys and girls.*

*Well-Being and Happiness Feelings in Sports-Active and Sports-Inactive Adolescents DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108957*

### *3.3.2 Comparison of optimism in sports-active boys and sports-inactive boys*

Sports-active boys are more optimistic than sports-inactive boys in optimism's statements O1 (U = 745.5, p = p < .001) and O4 (U = 926, p = .012). The overall factor of optimism reached statistical significance too in favour of sports-active boys (U = 832, p = .002) (**Figure 10**).

### *3.3.3 Comparison of optimism in sports-active girls and sports-inactive girls*

In all investigated items, sports-active girls show more optimism than sportinactive girls (**Figure 11**). Statistical significance is in the statement, which talks about the belief that good things are going to happen to them (U = 960, p < .001). The overall optimism factor is of statistical significance between sports-active girls and sports-inactive girls (U = 1297, p = .048), and therefore, we can write that those sports-active girls from our sample are more optimistic than sports-inactive girls.
