*3.3.4 Comparison of optimism, partial statements and overall factor in sports-active, sports-inactive boys, sports-active girls and sports-inactive girls*

The highest value of the score reached statement O4 about the belief that things will work out, no matter how difficult they seem (4.28) in sports-active boys and the lowest score was in the statement O1 about the optimism of the future (2.69) in sports-inactive girls (**Figure 12**).

The comparison of the overall optimism factor revealed statistical significance: between sports-active and sports-inactive boys (U = 832, p = .002) in favour of sports-active boys; sports-active boys and sports-active girls (U 964.5, p = .001) in

### **Figure 10.**

*Optimism: Partial statements and overall factor in sports-active boys and sports-inactive boys.*

### **Figure 11.**

*Optimism: Partial statements and overall factor in sports-active girls and sports-inactive girls.*

favour of sports-active boys; sports-active boys and sports-inactive girls (U = 494.5, p < .001) in favour of sports-active boys; sports-inactive boys and sports-inactive girls (U = 941, p = .005) in favour of sports-inactive boys; sportsactive girls and sports-inactive girls (U = 1297, p = .048) in favour of sports-active girls. No statistical significance in differences was found between sports-inactive boys and sports-active girls.

Sports-active boys and girls and sports-inactive boys are more optimistic than sports-inactive girls.

### **3.4 The factor: Connectedness**

Being socially related to someone is the essence of life. Social connectedness is very important in adolescents´ development. Strong friendships that develop during adolescence last for years.

### *3.4.1 Comparison of connectedness in boys and girls*

Comparing the statements and the overall connectedness factor, we found that all statements (C1, C2, C3, C4) and the overall connectedness factor have a greater value of scores in girls. Three statements show statistical significance in comparison with boys: C1 (U = 4782, p = .020), C3 (U = 4780, p = .015), C4 (U = 4634.5, p = .010) (**Figure 13**).

The girls presented more satisfying relationships with others than boys.

### *3.4.2 Comparison of connectedness in sports-active boys and sports-inactive boys*

Sports-active boys are those who expressed that they have someone with whom they can share the good news, have people who stand by and care about them. The persuasion was so strong that their opinion on this issue brought statistical significance in statements C1 (U = 823, p = .002), C2 (U = 938, p = .015), C3 (U = 984.5,

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

### **Figure 12.**

*Optimism: Partial statements and overall factor in sports-active boys, sports-inactive boys, sports-active girls and sports-inactive girls.*

p = .037) and the overall connectedness factor C (U = 883, p = .007) in comparison with sports-inactive boys (**Figure 14**).

### *3.4.3 Comparison of connectedness in sports-active girls and sports-inactive girls*

The girls, nevertheless, whether sports-active or sports-inactive, are almost about at the same level of expression about friendships, about having someone to solve problems with or having real friends. Surprisingly, sports-inactive girls in all statements, except statement C1, reached higher values of scores. It was for three statements (C2, C3 and C4) and the overall connectedness factor. Only one statement C3 shows statistical significance (U = 1275.5, p = .021) (**Figure 15**).
