Hope Interventions Research Articles

''While There's Life There's Hope'' Hope in Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study.

Hope is a critically important concept in palliative care that enables coping and increases quality of life. This qualitative study was conducted to determine how palliative care patients describe hope and the factors that increase or decrease hope after a hope intervention. Data were collected through semi-structural interviews with 10 palliative care patients. The analysis followed a thematic analysis approach. The participants defined hope as the joy of living in general, and the strength to cope with difficulties and stated that spending time with loved ones increased their hopes, the worsening of their diseases reduced their hopes, hope made them feel good psychologically, and health workers had an important role in increasing hope. It is recommended that hope interventions be person-centric in palliative care settings and that care should be structured by considering the factors that maintain and prevent hope.

Hope and its associations with academic-related outcomes and general wellbeing among college students: the importance of measurement specificity

BackgroundHope has been extensively studied as a predictor of college students’ academic success. Most previous studies used domain-general, global hope measures to gauge the association between hope and academic performance among college students. However, a few studies have suggested that hope is domain-specific and domain-specific academic hope measures should be included in related research to better assess the influence of hope on academic outcomes. In this study, we aimed to further examine this issue to ascertain if there is value in including academic hope measures when studying the link between hope and academic outcomes in college students.MethodsTwo samples of Hong Kong college students (total N = 1321) were recruited. Each participant completed a set of self-reported online questionnaires.ResultsIn both samples, global hope and academic hope emerged as related but separate factors in confirmatory factor analyses. Academic hope had consistently stronger unique explanatory power on academic performance and goal setting than global hope did. On the other hand, global hope explained more variance in general wellbeing than academic hope did, but its explanatory role in academic performance was not significant.ConclusionsThe findings support domain-specificity and show that hope measures explain more variance in outcomes in the matched domains. Therefore, academic hope measures should more routinely be included in related research to better evaluate the role of hope in academic pursuit among college students. Possible implications for hope interventions are also discussed.

The Relationships of Hope, Optimism, and Academic Motivation With GPA Among University Students in Hong Kong.

Research demonstrates the relationship between dispositional hope and GPA, but mixed results regarding the relationship between dispositional optimism and GPA. Hope and optimism also have been shown to predict academic motivation. However, no study has yet investigated all of these factors together, and most research concerns only Western samples. In a cross-sectional sample of 129 Hong Kong university students, we administered measures of internal hope (hope regarding one's own capabilities), external-family hope (hope derived from family), optimism, and intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation. We found significant zero-order correlations between internal hope and GPA, but not between external-family hope nor optimism and GPA. Mediation analyses showed that internal hope directly related to GPA, and did not appear mediated by academic motivation. Given our findings, future studies testing hope-based interventions in similar samples may be warranted. We discuss implications for culturally adapting hope interventions.

Work from home during COVID-19: the role of perceived hope, intrinsic spirituality and perceived supervisor support on job involvement

PurposeThis study aims to explore the influence of perceived hope, intrinsic spirituality and supervisor support on job involvement at the time of work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe sample included 263 employees working from home (WFH) for the first time in their careers due to COVID-19. The authors applied structural equation model and multigroup analysis (MGA) in SmartPLS3 to examine the hypothesized relationships, and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis to determine the relative influence of the antecedents.FindingsResults indicate that both personal (such as perceived hope and intrinsic spirituality) and job (supervisor support) resources determine job involvement during remote working, with a moderating impact of age on the relationship between intrinsic spirituality and job involvement. The ANN analysis shows that perceived hope is the most influential determinant of job involvement when employees work from home.Practical implicationsThis study suggests that when employees work remotely, organizations can generate higher job involvement by conveying a higher perception of hope and spirituality and providing supervisor support through planned hope interventions, promoting prosocial behavior and making changes in leadership style (check on instead of check-in).Originality/valueThis study extends the job demands-resources (JD-R) model with new insights into the impact of personal and job resources on job involvement during the new normal remote working era.

Developing pathways, a hope-enhancing intervention for metastatic lung cancer patients receiving cancer treatment.

Between 40% and 65% of lung cancer patients report concern about maintaining valued activities and roles, yet few interventions address this concern. Hope, a patient's perceived ability to generate goals and identify ways to pursue them, may be a promising intervention target to support function among lung cancer patients. The goal of this study was to assess metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) patient interest and preferences for a hope-enhancing intervention. We conducted a sequential mixed-methods (survey followed by semi-structured interviews) study with patients with mNSCLC. Surveys assessed patient interest in, perceived helpfulness of, and preferences for a hope intervention. A subset of 12 patients (and caregivers, when present) completed semi-structured interviews to elicit feedback on proposed intervention content and procedures. Survey data from 60 patients (40% male; Mean age=62.5; SD=9.3) suggested high perceived importance of pursuing personal goals during cancer treatment, moderate perceived helpfulness in discussing personal goals, and preference for a nurse-led intervention. Based on these data, a 5-session, nurse-led intervention protocol was drafted and reviewed with 12 patients. Interviewed patients and caregivers agreed working towards goals was beneficial, liked the intervention concept, and thought prompts and rating scales on handouts would facilitate discussion. The majority preferred nurse delivery during infusions. A nurse-led hope-enhancing intervention delivered primarily during infusions may be acceptable to mNSCLC patients. Future work should test feasibility and identify ways to incorporate caregivers and oncology providers into hope interventions.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Religious–Spiritual and Hope Interventions on Reducing Stress, Anxiety and Depression of Spouses of Veterans with PTSD

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Religious–Spiritual and Hope Interventions on Reducing Stress, Anxiety and Depression of Spouses of Veterans with PTSD

How hope measures up: Hope predicts school variables beyond growth mindset and school belonging

In this study, the associations among growth mindset, school belonging, and hope to several important academic variables are examined in a diverse sample of 447 high school students. In addition, the contribution made by growth mindset and school belonging to these academic variables is compared to hope’s contribution. Data were collected via a school-administered survey and study analyses include a series of hierarchical regressions. This study had several notable findings. First, although growth mindset and school belonging accounted for meaningful percentages of variance in behavioral engagement, academic self-efficacy, and curiosity after controlling for demographics, both constructs did not meaningfully predict academic achievement, academic self-efficacy for self-regulation, or educational expectations. Second, hope not only accounted for the majority of variance across all academic variables compared to growth mindset and school belonging, but also explained a meaningful portion of all the academic variables (except educational expectations) beyond demographics and both variables. These results indicate that hope interventions might be a better investment than both growth mindset and school belonging interventions.

Differences in hope, core self-evaluations, emotional well-being, and health risk behaviors in freshman university students.

The purpose of this cross-sectional anonymous survey study was to explore differences in hope, core self-evaluations (CSE), emotional well-being, health risk behaviors, and academic performance by gender, race, and social desirability in a sample of freshman university students. Four hundred and ninety-five freshmen ages 18 to 21 (M age 18.4), 67% female attending a large public university in the Northeast participated in the study. A Health Risk Behavior Score, with scores ranging from 3 to 9, was calculated by creating risk categories for drug use, alcohol use, and sexual risk-taking. Hope and health risk behaviors did not differ by gender, however, men reported higher CSE and emotional well-being. There were racial differences in hope, CSE, emotional well-being, and health risk behaviors. Nurses and researchers should consider gender and racial differences when designing or implementing hope interventions. Future researchers should compare their findings with ours for patterns or convergence and divergence and aim for larger representative samples of nonwhite groups. These are necessary next steps to advance the understanding of the role hope may play in promoting mental health among diverse college students.

Nursing student perceptions of hope in children: A qualitative descriptive study.

Hope has been linked to positive health outcomes in the literature. Hope is abstract, multidimensional, future oriented, and occurs cognitively making it difficult to assess in children. Most of the research on hope has been conducted with adults and adolescents. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the concept of hope in children to provide nurses with tools to identify hope behaviors in children. The aim of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe hope behaviors in children from a nursing student perspective. Data were gathered from three focus groups (N = 19) of nursing students enrolled in a pediatric clinical rotation using a semistructured interview technique. Three themes of hope behaviors emerged from the three focus groups and were (a) future oriented, (b) goal oriented-getting up and doing things, and (c) pathways thinking processes-getting from point A to point B. Health care providers should consider hope behavioral cues, which can warrant interventions to increase hope in their young patients. Current findings demonstrate the need for the development of hope interventions that involve younger patients, thereby making their effects more sustainable across the lifespan.

A Ccritical Review on School-Based Hope Interventions: Focusing on Snyder’s Hope Theory

A Ccritical Review on School-Based Hope Interventions: Focusing on Snyder’s Hope Theory

A Potential Avenue for Academic Success: Hope Predicts an Achievement-Oriented Psychosocial Profile in African American Adolescents

In a sample of 117 African American students, we examined how well hope predicts five psychosocial variables—school belonging, academic self-concept, goal valuation, attitude toward teachers, and academic motivation/self-regulation—that altogether make up an achievement-oriented psychosocial profile. Results indicated that, after controlling for demographics and previous achievement, the subscales of hope accounted for a meaningful portion of all five psychosocial variables, ranging from 17.2% to 29.9%. The agency subscale of hope was a significant predictor of all five psychosocial variables, while pathways was only a significant predictor of goal valuation and academic self-concept. Given that several quick and effective universal hope interventions have been developed, these results suggest that hope may be a promising avenue to improve the achievement-related outcomes of African American students as well as aid in mitigating the achievement gap.

Oskar Pfister Award Winner Offers Hope to the Demoralized

Oskar Pfister Award Winner Offers Hope to the Demoralized

Hope as a Therapeutic Target in Counselling – In General and in Relation to Christian Clients

This paper reviews the contemporary literature as it pertains to the importance of hope as a therapeutic target; how it is variously conceptualized and how it may be effectively built in therapy. Implications for clinical practice include: (1) specific hope interventions amongst a broader treatment plan; (2) therapists’ awareness of their own level of hopefulness; (3) focusing on attachments, goals and making meaning from suffering. Each of these aspects is discussed for clients in general, and for Christian clients, with whom hope typically has a distinct theological narrative.

Origins of Early Adolescents’ Hope

Psychology has recently increased attention to identifying psychological qualities in individuals that indicate positive mental health, such as hope. In an effort to understand further the origins of hope, we examined the relations among parental attachment, stressful life events, personality variables, and hope in a sample of 647 middle school students from one middle school in a southeastern U.S. state. The results showed statistically significant correlations between hope and all four predictor variables as well as students’ grade levels and socioeconomic status (SES) levels. The results of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis further revealed that after controlling for grade level and SES, the personality variable of neuroticism contributed significance variance to early adolescents’ hope scores. Furthermore, the quality of parental attachment accounted for significant variance in hope scores over and above the demographic variables of grade and SES as well as extraversion scores. Contrary to expectations, students’ levels of neuroticism did not moderate the relation between stressful life events and hope. The frequency of occurrence of stressful life events was inversely associated with early adolescents’ individual differences in hope regardless of neuroticism levels. Implications for hope interventions are discussed.

A pragmatist approach to the hope discourse in health care research

Hope is a central concept in nursing and other fields of health care. However, there is no consensus about the concept of hope. We argue that seeking consensus is futile given the multifaceted and multidimensional nature of the concept, but instead we encourage in-depth studies of the assumptions behind talk about hope in specific contexts. Our approach to the 'science of hope' is inspired by philosophical pragmatism. We argue that hope is a concept that opens different rooms for action in different contexts and that accordingly, all hope interventions are contextually sensitive. Careful attention to how the relative positions and power of nurses and patients influence what can be inferred from their different ways of talking about hope may make hopeful conversations more meaningful in health care relationships.

Evolving definitions of hope in oncology

This review updates the literature on hope and oncology following a prior review of studies up until 2009. It particularly focusses on the evolution of the definition of hope in the light of the clinical experience of patients with cancer, their carers and health professionals. Hope creates meaning for patients and is an important coping mechanism. Clinicians are wary of communicating bad news because it may deprive patients of hope, but work with decision aids suggests that this communication can be managed successfully. Hope and optimism negatively correlate with anxiety and depression. Maintaining hope may result in patients with incurable cancer accepting treatments or trials with little chance of benefit. Hope also needs to be maintained by palliative care nurses who harmonize their hopes with the different degrees and constructs of hope around them. Hope interventions can be successful in increasing hope and decreasing psychological distress. More research is required into how to communicate about active anticancer treatment withdrawal and prognosis without depriving patients with cancer of hope, given how important hope is in alleviating psychological distress. The optimal intervention to increase levels of hope needs further investigation.

Hope in Adults With Cancer: State of the Science

To synthesize the literature regarding research on hope in adults with cancer. CINAHL Plus® and PsycINFO databases. Sixteen articles published from 2005-2009 met the criteria for review. The literature was organized according to Oncology Nursing Society levels of evidence. Research studies on hope in adults with cancer were analyzed, critiqued, and synthesized. Research evidence continues to grow regarding descriptions of hope and hope attributes in adults with cancer. Although nursing intervention programs have demonstrated positive effects on hope in adults newly diagnosed with cancer, those with a first cancer recurrence, the terminally ill, and survivors of childhood cancer, current studies are small and additional research is indicated. Opportunities exist to explain the dynamic process of hope, develop hope interventions that are tailored to meet the developmental needs of adults with cancer, and study existing nursing programs that support hope using larger samples in randomized, controlled trials.

Metasynthesis of the Hope Experience of Family Caregivers of Persons With Chronic Illness

The purpose of this metasynthesis was to describe the hope experience of family caregivers of persons with chronic illness. Fourteen studies were included in the metasynthesis. All studies described the importance of hope to the family caregivers of relatives with chronic illness regardless of age, relationship, or setting. Several derived themes arose from the metasynthesis, including (a) transitional refocusing from a difficult present to a positive future, (b) dynamic possibilities within uncertainty, (c) pathways of hope, and (d) hope outcomes. Hope was defined as transitional dynamic possibilities within uncertainty. A new conceptual model of hope was developed that provides a foundation for future research and practice. The metasynthesis findings indicate factors influencing hope have a role in assessing hope and differing pathways of hope provide a foundation for future hope interventions.

A Hope Intervention Compared to Friendly Visitors as a Technique to Reduce Depression among Older Nursing Home Residents

Depression is common among older persons. An experimental study was undertaken to test the impact of a four-week hope program on depressed nursing home residents. Residents aged 65 or older, who met the criteria for this pilot study and agreed to participate, were randomly assigned to (a) an intervention group, and provided with weekday hope interventions mainly involving positive messages and pictures or (b) a modified control group, and provided with a friendly weekday greeting. The structured hope intervention was not proven effective for reducing depression or raising hope. Instead, a significant reduction in depression among the control subjects was found, as well as a nonsignificant increase in their level of hope. Although these findings suggest friendly visitors may be a more efficacious nonpharmacological approach for reducing depression, further investigations are needed to confirm this and to explore the impact of other hope interventions.

Positive psychology and adolescents: Where are we now? Where to from here?

The purpose of this paper was to integrate literature on positive psychology and adolescent well-being to provide a cohesive platform for future research and discussion. It is aimed at researchers, and mental health and educational professionals who are interested in the empirical evidence behind using positive psychology interventions with adolescents. The positive psychology concepts reviewed are: the authentic happiness theory, flow, hope, coaching, gratitude, kindness, and strengths-based interventions. Although positive psychology is only in its infancy, and more research in adolescent populations is needed, support for positive psychology interventions in fostering adolescent mental health is steadily accumulating.