Effects Of Dispositional Optimism Research Articles

Shame and guilt as mediators between dispositional optimism and symptom severity among mental health outpatients

ABSTRACT Dispositional optimism is robustly associated with psychological wellbeing, and individuals with lower optimism tend to experience more depressive and anxiety symptoms. While mechanisms in this relationship such as coping and social integration have been explored, limited research has examined whether the self-conscious emotions of shame and guilt account for the association between dispositional optimism and psychological distress. The present study examined shame and guilt as mediators in the relation between dispositional optimism and depressive and anxiety symptom severity among 137 patients (M age = 33.5, SD = 12.08 years) seeking community-based mental health care. Mediation analyses using bootstrap 99% confidence intervals indicated significant mediation by guilt––but not shame––in the model predicting depressive symptoms, and significant mediation by shame––but not guilt––in the model predicting anxiety symptoms. These findings suggest differential effects of dispositional optimism on depressive and anxiety symptoms according to the predominance of shame- or guilt-related affects. Interventions seeking to reduce distress through promoting optimism may be enhanced by considering patients’ experiences of shame and guilt.

Priority-Setting and Personality: Effects of Dispositional Optimism on Preferences for Allocating Healthcare Resources

In a publicly fnanced health system, it is important that priority-setting refects social values. Many studies investigate public preferences through surveys taken from samples, but to be representative, these samples must refect value judgments of all relevant population subgroups. In this study, we explore whether, next to better-understood sources of heterogeneity such as age, education or gender, also diferences in personality play a role in how people want to set limits to health care. We investigate the infuence of dispositional optimism: whether someone anticipates a good or bad future. This is an important personality dimension that has been shown to widely reverberate into people’s lives and that can also be expected to infuence people’s views on health care. To test our hypothesis, we asked a representative sample of the Belgian population (N=750) to complete both the revised life orientation test and a discrete choice experiment about allocating healthcare resources, and we investigated the relationships between both measurements. We found that more pessimistic individuals were less supportive of using patients’ age as a selection criterion and more hesitant to invest in prevention. Since individual dispositions are usually not part of the criteria for selecting representative samples, our fndings point at a potential non-response bias in studies that elicit social values.

Editorial on “Optimism and cause-specific mortality: a prospective cohort study”

The research interest in the effect of psychological factors such as optimism on physical health has increased substantially over the past decades. Studies based on cross-sectional or longitudinal data have demonstrated that optimism not only has an impact on general well-being and mental health, but also is associated with physical health. A meta-analysis published in 2009 summarized results from 83 studies investigating the effect of dispositional optimism on physical outcomes. This review showed that optimism was a significant predictor of positive physical health outcomes, including lower incidence of metabolic syndrome, reduced level of painfulness, better physical functioning, reduced risk of diseases, and reduced rate of death (1).

Dispositional optimism as a mediator of the effect of rumination on anxiety

Many researchers have focused on the impact of rumination and optimism on anxiety, but few have examined the trilateral relationships among these factors. In this study, we explored the mediating effect of dispositional optimism in the relationship between rumination and anxiety. Participants were 448 Chinese undergraduate students who completed a survey assessing rumination, optimism, and anxiety. The results suggested that rumination was positively correlated with anxiety and that dispositional optimism was negatively correlated with anxiety. Structural equation modeling further showed that dispositional optimism partially mediated the impact of rumination on anxiety. The bootstrapping test also revealed significant paths from rumination to anxiety through dispositional optimism. We concluded that both rumination and dispositional optimism can affect anxiety.

Effects of dispositional optimism on quality of life, emotional distress and disability in Parkinson's disease outpatients under rehabilitation.

This study was performed with the aim of assessing dispositional optimism (DO) in a sample of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, in order to evaluate its association with clinical outcomes and its impact on rehabilitation. Before entering an outpatient rehabilitation program, 58 participants suffering from idiopathic PD completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) to evaluate their level of DO, the WHO-5 scale to evaluate their health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to identify emotional distress, and the Barthel Index to evaluate their level of disability. All the measures were repeated four months later, at their discharge from the program. Disease stage and severity measures (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) were also taken into consideration. Correlations and multivariate regression analyses compared DO with the health-related variables. On admission a high level of DO was found to be associated with less severe disease, a better quality of life (QoL) and lower emotional distress, but not with level of disability (Barthel Index). Consistent results were found at discharge. The level of DO di not change after rehabilitation, while anxiety was significantly reduced, especially in subjects with low LOT-R and high HADS scores. The Barthel Index values significantly improved. At discharge, participants with high DO showed the best improvements in disability and in QoL. Effects of dispositional optimism on quality of life, emotional distress and disability in Parkinson's disease outpatients under rehabilitation In conclusion, a high level of DO was associated with QoL, HADS and UPDRS both on admission and at discharge. The level of DO remained stable after rehabilitation, while disability and anxiety were reduced. Participants with high DO generally had better QoL, and better clinical and psychological performances.

Interval-valued fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making methods based on dual optimistic/pessimistic estimations in averaging operations

This study aimed to consider the effect of dispositional optimism and pessimism to provide simple and useful decision models and methods for multiple criteria decision analysis within an interval-valued fuzzy environment. Uncertain and imprecise assessment information is usually present in many practical decision-making situations. Interval-valued fuzzy sets are useful for modeling impressions and quantifying the ambiguous nature of subjective judgments in a convenient way. Based on measurement tool estimations defined on interval-valued fuzzy sets, dual optimistic and pessimistic point operators were utilized in this study, and this paper discusses several important properties of optimistic/pessimistic averaging operations. Two algorithmic procedures were developed to address the effects of optimism and pessimism, involving changes in overall judgments and in the separate evaluations of alternatives with respect to each criterion. Furthermore, this study explored the practical problem of medical decision making to demonstrate the feasibility and applicability of the proposed method and to make a comparison with other existing methods. Finally, computational experiments were designed using enormous amounts of simulation data, and a comparative analysis of rank orders yielded by dual optimistic and pessimistic averaging operations was conducted.

The effects of dispositional optimism on stress responses under uncontrollable situation.

The effects of dispositional optimism on stress responses under uncontrollable situation.

Disentangling the effects of optimism and attributions on feelings of success

Two experiments examined the effects of dispositional optimism and attributions on feelings of success in a performance setting. In Experiment 1, participants successfully solved three cognitive tasks and attributed the success either internally (i.e., to themselves) or externally (i.e., to a teammate). We found no effect of optimism, but a significant effect of the attribution: Internal attribution predicted an increase in feelings of success. In Experiment 2, we replicated the design and adopted an extreme groups approach in order to include the extremes of the optimism dimension. Only optimism affected feelings of success in this sample: Pessimistic participants showed higher increases in feelings of success than optimistic participants. We conclude that optimism, if disentangled from attribution, may have an effect on affect, with pessimism showing potential affective benefits. However, this association may be concealed if samples with a restricted range of the optimism dimension are studied.

Dispositional Optimism Fosters Opportunity‐Congruent Coping With Occupational Uncertainty

We investigated the relationship between dispositional optimism and coping with growing occupational uncertainty, drawing on the life span theory of control to assess coping. Participants were 606 German adults with various sociodemographic backgrounds, aged 16-43. They were interviewed at the end of 2005 (Time 1) and at the beginning of 2007 (Time 2). We regressed each control strategy at Time 2 on its scores at Time 1, optimism at Time 1, three moderating variables, and their interactions with optimism. Dispositional optimism predicted an increase in both goal engagement strategies (selective primary and compensatory primary control) only under favorable conditions (low regional unemployment rate, low perceived growth in occupational uncertainty, and high perceived controllability of this stressor). Specific conditions moderating the effects of optimism differed between the two engagement strategies. In addition, an unfavorable labor market situation as such prompted an increase in goal engagement. No effects of optimism on goal disengagement (compensatory secondary control) at Time 2 were found. The effects of dispositional optimism on the change in control strategies were contingent on the labor market situation, which supports the view that optimists are better able to tailor their coping responses to available opportunities.

Effects of dispositional optimism on change of cognitive appraisals during the test situation.

Effects of dispositional optimism on change of cognitive appraisals during the test situation.

Relationship Between Perceived Psychological Stress and Depression: Testing Moderating Effect of Dispositional Optimism

The purpose of this study was to examine how the personality characteristic known as dispositional optimism influences the psychological stress–depression relationship. Dispositional optimism can have significant influence on individual stress-coping mechanisms. Earlier studies have not found consistent results regarding main effects of optimism on stress appraisal and depressive moods. Previous studies have mostly used students as participants that may have led to such inconsistent findings. In this study, employees working in a private Indian university were interviewed using a survey method. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that there was a mild moderating impact of dispositional optimism on the stress–depression relationship.

The Effect of Dispositional Optimism in HRQOL in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Conditions in Greece

The purpose of this investigation was to study the influence of optimism in the quality of life of patients with musculoskeletal problems that were referred to Amfilohia Rehabilitation Center, because of chronic pain and kinetic difficulties. The sample consisted of 96 patients. The questionnaires that were used are the short form health questionnaire (12 questions; SF12), the life orientation test-revised (LOT-R) and a VAS scale for pain measurement. According to the regression analysis performed, dispositional optimism is an independent factor affecting both the physical (β = .249, p < .005) and mental composite score (β = .414, p < .0001) in patients with musculoskeletal problems, even after controlling for the effect of pain intensity.

Being Optimismtic may Not Always be Advantageous: The Relationship Between Dispositional Optimism, Coping, and Performance

The effects of dispositional optimism on performance and self-reports of coping strategy were examined in a low and a high signal salience vigilance task performed in quiet or during exposure to jet-aircraft engine noise. The results of this study partially support Scheier and Carver’s (1985; 1987) habitual coping styles theory, in which people varying in optimism differ in their general coping strategies. Optimism in most cases correlated positively with task-focused coping and negatively with off-task approaches. When the task setting elicited a coping style contrary to dispositional preference, however, performance was actually impaired. In the low-salience, quiet condition of this experiment optimism correlated negatively with performance; this condition also elicited elevated levels of maladaptive, off-task coping. Being highly optimistic may not always be an advantage in performance settings

Optimism and immunity: Do positive thoughts always lead to positive effects?

The effects of dispositional optimism, as defined by generalized positive expectations for the future, on physical health are mixed, especially in diseases that can be immunologically mediated such as HIV and cancer. Both experimental and naturalistic studies show that optimism is negatively related to measures of cellular immunity when stressors are difficult (e.g., complex, persistent, and uncontrollable) but positively related when stressors are easy (e.g., straightforward, brief, and controllable). Although the negative relationship between optimism and immunity has been attributed to the violation of optimists’ positive expectancies and subsequent disappointment, empirical evidence suggests that it is more likely to be a consequence of optimists’ greater engagement during difficult stressors. For example, negative mood does not account for the effect, but conscientiousness, a personality facet related to engagement, does. The mixed immunological correlates of optimism may explain why it does not consistently predict better disease outcomes.

Dispositional Optimism, Role-Specific Stress, and the Well-Being of Adult Daughter Caregivers

The present investigation examined the effects of role stress and dispositional optimism on the well-being of 296 adult daughter caregivers who simultaneously occupied mother, wife, and employee roles. It was predicted that dispositional optimism would buffer the effects of stress in each of the fourroles on psychological well-being (depressive symptoms and life satisfaction). Results provided some evidence to support the stress-buffering hypothesis. Dispositional optimism buffered (i.e., moderated) the effects of wife stress on depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. In addition, main effects of dispositional optimism on the psychological well-being were found, even after considering stressful experiences in particular social roles (e.g., caregiver). Findings suggest that dispositional optimism can serve as a beneficial resource that reduces the negative effects of wife stress on psychological well-being and contributes to adult daughter caregiver’s well-being, irrespective of stress experienced in specific social roles, including caregiving.

The relative benefits of being optimistic: Optimism as a coping resource in multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease

Objective. To explore two issues involving the relationship between optimism and adaptation in chronically ill patients. The first issue involves the question whether the impact of optimism on adjustment is disease‐specific, that is whether patients who are confronted with extreme levels of uncontrollability and unpredictability generated by their condition benefit more from an optimistic attitude than those who are confronted with less high levels of those disease characteristics. The second issue relates to the question whether greater optimism produces better adjustment or whether, in contrast, a medium level of optimism plays a more adaptive role. Design. The cross‐sectional design involves 166 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) or multiple sclerosis (MS) recruited from patient's organizations. Method. Regression analyses were employed to test for a disease‐specific effect of dispositional optimism (measured by the Life Orientation Test) on coping (measured by the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations) and adjustment (measured by the Sickness Impact Profile) by introducing interactions between optimism and disease in the analysis. Curvilinear effects were tested by introducing a squared optimism variable. Results. These show that optimism has a disease‐specific effect on physical adjustment and on the use of emotion‐oriented and avoidant coping strategies. Although the study's cross‐sectional design does not allow for causal inferences, these data suggest that MS patients may benefit more from optimism than PD patients and also that, in comparison with PD patients, optimism in MS patients does not necessarily promote avoidant and emotion‐oriented coping. The results also show a medium level of optimism to promote the application of task‐oriented and avoidant coping strategies. Conclusion. It is concluded that context‐specific constraints associated with type of disease may affect the assumed beneficial role of optimism on adjustment.

Optimism and Coping with Unemployment among Hong Kong Chinese Women

The effects of dispositional optimism and coping on the link between unemployment and psychological health were studied among 79 employed and 104 unemployed Hong Kong Chinese women. Results indicated that optimism, indexed by the Chinese version of the Revised Life Orientation Test (C-RLOT), moderated the effect of unemployment on psychological health. The less optimistic women were more psychologically impaired by losing their jobs. Among the unemployed women, the more optimistic ones and those who were more able to distance themselves from job loss fared better. Nevertheless, coping did not mediate the connection between optimism and psychological outcomes. These findings suggest that optimism is an important personal resource for coping with unemployment in Hong Kong Chinese, but whether coping mediates the effects of optimism on psychological health or not depends on other contextual factors. Ways to ensure more reliable prediction regarding the connections between optimism, coping and psychological health in future research were discussed.

Effect of dispositional optimism on comparative risk perceptions for developing AIDS.

The present study investigated the effects of individual differences along the dimension of dispositional optimism-pessimism on comparative risk perception in relation to the prospect of developing AIDS. 104 university students completed the Life Orientation Test of Scheier and Carver and estimated the likelihood of AIDS happening to themselves and the average university student. A split at the median on the Life Orientation Test divided subjects into optimists and pessimists. Dispositional optimists and pessimists rated their own likelihood of developing AIDS as less than that of the average student. Moreover, subjects classified as optimistic and pessismistic did not differ significantly in their ratings of comparative risk perception.

Dispositional optimism and recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery: the beneficial effects on physical and psychological well-being.

The effect of dispositional optimism on recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery was examined in a group of 51 middle-aged men. Patients provided information at three points in time--(a) on the day before surgery, (b) 6-8 days postoperatively, and (c) 6 months postoperatively. Information was obtained relating to the patient's rate of physical recovery, mood, and postsurgical quality of life. Information was also gathered regarding the manner in which the patients attempted to cope with the stress of the surgery and its aftermath. As expected, dispositional optimism proved to be an important predictor of coping efforts and of surgical outcomes. More specifically, dispositional optimism (as assessed prior to surgery) correlated positively with manifestations of problem-focused coping and negatively with the use of denial. Dispositional optimism was also associated with a faster rate of physical recovery during the period of hospitalization and with a faster rate of return to normal life activities subsequent to discharge. Finally, there was a strong positive association between level of optimism and postsurgical quality of life at 6 months.