PERMA Model of Well-Being Applied to Portuguese Senior Tourists: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

José Mendes, Teresa Medeiros, Osvaldo Silva, Licínio Tomás, Luís Silva and Joaquim A. Ferreira
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José Mendes: School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Azores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Teresa Medeiros: School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Azores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Osvaldo Silva: Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences—Campus of the University of Azores (CICS.NOVA.UAc), University of Azores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Licínio Tomás: Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences—Campus of the University of Azores (CICS.NOVA.UAc), University of Azores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Luís Silva: Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (InBIO), Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), School of Sciences and Technology, University of Azores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Joaquim A. Ferreira: Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Coimbra, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-11

Abstract: Tourism has been affirmed as an activity that promotes health and well-being. The present study aims to present a confirmatory analysis of the PERMA model in a sample of Portuguese senior tourists who visited the island of São Miguel (Azores). After approval of the study by the ethics committee (reference 6/2022), a Sociodemographic Questionnaire, PERMA Profiler, and Life Satisfaction Scale—SWLS were applied to 1083 senior tourists (≥55 years) of various nationalities. To evaluate the PERMA model for senior tourism in Portugal, a total of 434 senior tourists of Portuguese nationality were extracted from the sample. The results revealed that most of the participants attributed scores above the midpoint in the five dimensions of PERMA (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment) and in the satisfaction with life scale. Using scale reliability analyses, we found that some of the dimensions in the PERMA model showed relatively low values both for Cronbach alpha and composite reliability. Several confirmatory structural equation models (single factorial, second order, and five factors) were calculated, as well as the usual adjustment measures, with the five-factor PERMA model presenting the best structure, although with a relatively low fit. The modification of the model by the weight of regressions between some of the items with larger covariances allowed a better adjustment: χ 2 (73) = 264.960, p < 0.001, χ 2 /df = 3.63, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.91, IFI = 0.94; GFI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.078, p < 0.001. Although the results revealed that the experiences of senior tourists when visiting the island of São Miguel contributed significantly to their well-being and the modified model presented superior adjustment quality, future studies are suggested to evaluate the quality of the PERMA model applied to tourism.

Keywords: well-being; positive emotions; senior tourism; PERMA; Azores (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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