Dispositional Optimism as a Correlate of Decision-Making Styles in Adolescence

Paola Magnano,Barbara Giacominelli,Anna Paolillo

doi:10.1177/2158244015592002

Paola Magnano, Barbara Giacominelli + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015592002

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Abstract

Despite the numerous psychological areas in which optimism has been studied, including career planning, only a small amount of research has been done to investigate the relationship between optimism and decision-making styles. Consequently, we have investigated the role of dispositional optimism as a correlate of different decision-making styles, in particular, positive for effective styles and negative for ineffective ones (doubtfulness, procrastination, and delegation). Data were gathered through questionnaires administered to 803 Italian adolescents in their last 2 years of high schools with different fields of study, each at the beginning stages of planning for their professional future. A paper questionnaire was completed containing measures of dispositional optimism and career-related decision styles, during a vocational guidance intervention conducted at school. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. Results supported the proposed model by showing optimism to be a strong correlate of decision-making styles, thereby offering important intervention guidelines aimed at modifying unrealistically negative expectations regarding their future and helping students learn adaptive decision-making skills.

Highlights

Scheier and Carver (1985) described optimism as a generalized tendency to expect positive outcomes even in the face of obstacles
The cross-sectional study presented was born within a vocational guidance intervention conducted in classroom groups at the end of their high school career, because they were about to embark on a decision-making process
The aim of the study was to verify if dispositional optimism was positively related to effective decision-making styles and negatively related to doubtfulness, procrastination, and delegation, after having controlled for gender

Summary

Introduction

Scheier and Carver (1985) described optimism as a generalized tendency to expect positive outcomes even in the face of obstacles. Optimists are individuals who expect good things to happen to them; pessimists are those who expect bad things to happen to them (Carver, Scheier, & Segerstrom, 2010). People who are more optimistic have less psychological distress, even when things do not coincide with their expectations (Carver et al, 2010). These individuals deal with stressors more actively and more adaptively, using problem-focused strategies when likely to be effective (i.e., in controllable situations such as academic challenges) and emotion-focused strategies when likely to be effective (i.e., in uncontrollable situations such as trauma; Solberg Nes & Segerstrom, 2006). Individuals who are more optimistic have more successful social relationships (e.g., Srivastava, McGonigal, Richards, Butler, & Gross, 2006)

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