Evaluating optimism in children and adolescents: Adaptation, factor structure, convergent validity, and invariance of the Brazilian version of the Youth Life Orientation Test (YLOT).

Abstract

This study adapted and examined the psychometric properties of the Youth Life Orientation Test (YLOT)-a measure to evaluate dispositional optimism and pessimism-in a Brazilian sample of children and adolescents aged between 5 and 16 years. The factor structure, reliability, convergent validity, and invariance of the YLOT were evaluated within and across four age groups (N1 = 266, N2 = 246, N3 = 211, and N4 = 253). Participants were 976 students (51.9% girls) who answered the YLOT and subjective well-being measures and 350 parents (51.6% female) who answered a parent-report measure of optimism. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested an oblique two-factor model best fit the data, indicating that optimism and pessimism are independent factors. These factors demonstrated adequate reliability and convergent validity evidence with well-being measures. Additionally, scalar invariance was obtained, and latent mean analyses indicated optimism decreases and pessimism increases in participants from 5 to 13 years old. These results support the use of YLOT in Brazil. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).