title: Disentangling vitality, well-being, and quality of life: a conceptual examination emphasizing their similarities and differences with special application in the physical activity domain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given trends toward studying positive mental health in the behavioral sciences, the concepts of vitality, well-being, and quality of life (QoL) have received significant attention. Unfortunately, interpreting their empirical findings and applications is difficult given a tendency to use these terms synonymously and/or without clear apriori definitions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review presents an in-depth, critical examination of vitality, well-being, and QoL (especially health-related QoL) while paying particular attention to their similarities and differences. Given the proliferation of studies in the area of physical activity psychology, this review draws from a collection of knowledge in the physical activity domain to provide readers with concrete examples and to support arguments that are raised.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The narrative content is divided into 3 sections with critical appraisals of each: definitions and meaning, theoretical views, and research, the latter of which is further subdivided into measurement and findings. Several parallels and discrepancies between the constructs are brought forward.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Important arguments, among others, include the precision or specificity of the definition of vitality compared with well-being and QoL, and the emergence of a spectrum along which these constructs can be aligned with regards to the breadth of internal and external experiences they capture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guérin
mesh_terms: D015444:Exercise; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design