Life Orientation Test Research Articles

Dispositional optimism predicts antidepressant treatment response in major depressive disorder: potential relevance for positive psychology interventions

ABSTRACT Positive psychology interventions have demonstrated efficacy in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), but the relationship between dispositional optimism and antidepressant treatment response remains unclear. In this study, optimism (Revised Life Orientation Test, LOT-R) and depression severity (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HDRS) were assessed in healthy unmedicated MDD participants (N = 86) and healthy controls (N = 65). Treatment response (≥50% reduction in HDRS) was measured in 46 of these MDD participants after 8 weeks of open-label selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment. MDD participants reported significantly lower pre-treatment optimism than healthy controls. Higher pre-treatment optimism, as well as greater increase in optimism (pre-treatment to 8 weeks), were associated with greater likelihood of being an SSRI responder versus non-responder (β = 0.21, p = 0.013; β = 0.32, p = 0.01, respectively), even when ratings of optimism/pessimism were excluded from depression severity/response ratings. The findings are consistent with the importance of aspects of positive psychology in treatment response. Possible mechanisms are discussed.

Study of the Psychological Condition of Students Living in Border Conflict Regions

Since the 1990s, the conflicts and destructive processes that began in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have remained a major crisis for the population of Georgia. For nearly 30 years, the populations of both regions, governed by powerful Russian influence and de facto authorities, have been isolated from the rest of Georgia. The lack of social and intensive interactions, limited communication, and ideological confrontations have further distanced Georgians, Abkhazians, and Ossetians from one another. Under conditions of constant fear, socio-economic hardship, and restricted mobility, protecting the rights of students living in border and conflict regions, ensuring access to essential services, and addressing their mental health remain significant challenges for Georgian society. Students are a crucial part of society who can not only participate in processes of change and development but also become initiators of transformative processes. Given that mental health is linked to an individual’s psychosocial and physical well-being, studying students' mental health is important not only in terms of their knowledge and skills but also in terms of assessing their psychological condition and providing appropriate responses. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the psychological condition of students living in border conflict regions. To achieve this goal, the research utilized instruments adapted for the Georgian population, including the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), Life Orientation Test–Revised (LOT-R), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and PROMIS Emotional Distress—Anxiety—Short Form. By employing these tools, it became possible to analyze the mental health challenges faced by students in border conflict regions and identify differences in their psychological conditions based on specific characteristics.

Active aging, autonomy, and mental health among older adults with chronic illness - focus on optimism

Abstract Background In the active aging framework, the focus has shifted to the quality of life of the elderly, where autonomy plays an important role. Chronic illnesses often lead to autonomy limitations, impacting activities of daily living (ADL) and increasing the risk of depression. Fostering an optimistic outlook can mitigate depression’s severity and promote healthy aging. Methods The data is from a cross-sectional survey in Hungary (n = 832). 60,1% of the sample had at least one chronic illness. Measurements included the EQ-5D-5L, Mental Health Continuum-SF, Life Orientation Test, and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results We found worse mental health (p = 0,024), lower levels of optimistic outlook (p = 0,002), and higher levels of depression (p < 0,001) among those who reported ADL limitations. ADL limitations (ß = -0,27, p < 0,001) showed the strongest association with perceived health status, followed by mobility (ß = -0,22, p <; 0,001) and self-care (ß =-0,14, p < 0,001). Considering mental health, only ADL limitations (ß = -0,15, p < 0,001) were a significant predictor from the above-mentioned dimensions. Additional analysis showed that depression affected mental health both directly (effect = -1,90, p < 0,001) and indirectly, mediated by an optimistic outlook (effect = -0,88). Conclusions 1. Limitations in autonomy were negatively linked to perceived health status and mental health. 2. The optimistic orientation toward life can mediate the association between depression and mental health among the elderly with chronic conditions. 3. The Implications of the results could enlighten the necessity of preventive initiatives on autonomy preservation and enhance an optimistic outlook to maintain healthy aging and a favorable quality of life. Key messages • Preventive interventions focusing on health-preserving behaviors could be designed for specific groups with a higher risk of ADL limitations in the future. • Optimism could mediate depression’s impact on the mental health of the elderly with chronic illnesses, suggesting that interventions should target enhancing optimism for improving active aging.

Optimism mitigated impacts of pre-operative depression and anxiety on post-operative distress in cardiac patients

ABSTRACT Both anxiety and depression are comorbid mortality risks in middle-aged and older patients with heart diseases. Open-heart surgery (OHS), a life-altering procedure, can induce psychological distress that impedes postoperative recovery. Extensive research has shown the health benefit of optimism, an indicator of hope—a Character Strength in positive psychology. It predicts low mortality in cardiovascular disease—the number one killer of all Americans. Few studies, however, have explored whether that optimism mitigates the negative impact of preoperative depression and anxiety on postoperative general psychological distress. This interdisciplinary clinical study evaluated a hypothetical model of these relationships prior to and 1 month following OHS in 311 U.S. patients using a three-wave survey. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to predict post-OHS general psychological distress. Optimism was indicated by two subscales in the Life Orientation Test (LOT). Based on the definition, general psychological distress was indicated by low symptom levels of somatization, depression, and anxiety as measured by the SCL-90 subscales. The final solution demonstrated a good fit. Optimism alleviates the negative effects of preoperative depression and anxiety, as indicators of poor mental health, on postoperative distress. Both older age and female gender were positively and directly associated with higher levels of post-OHS symptoms. The finding supports the beneficial role of optimism in mitigating the damage of poor mental health in the postoperative outcome of cardiac patients. The desirable function of character strength hope suggests that health providers should be attentive to and enhance inner strength for reducing the distress of cardiac patients in the postoperative recovery month.

Care burden and associated factors among caregivers of patients with bipolar type I disorder

BackgroundFamily caregivers play a significant role in providing care for these people at home and need new evidence on the outcomes of their caregiving. Caregiving for people with chronic psychiatric disorders, especially Bipolar type I Disorder (BD-I), is a major challenge in the healthcare system. This study aimed to examine the relationship between caregiver burden, resilience and optimism in family caregivers of patients with BD-I.MethodsThis study used a cross-sectional design and involved 209 family caregivers of people with BD-I by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). The participants were selected from the list of family caregivers covered by the Ibn Sina Hospital’s health clinic in Mashhad, Iran. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis with a significance level of 0.05.ResultsThe average ages of the caregivers and their patients were 45.43 (13.34) and 36.7 (14.05), respectively. The average caregiver burden score was 41.92 (19.18), which was moderate (31 to 60). The predictors of caregiver burden in this study were caregiver-related factors such as optimism (p < 0.001, β = 0.25) and employment status (housewife: p = 0.038, β = 0.43; self-employed: p = 0.007, β = 0.12; retired: p < 0.001, β = 0.23), and patient-related factors such as the presence of psychotic symptoms (p < 0.001, β = 0.33), daily caregiving hours (p < 0.001, β = 0.16), history of suicide attempts (p = 0.035, β = 0.43), and alcohol consumption (p < 0.001, β = 0.85). These variables explained 58.3% of the variance in caregiver burden scores.ConclusionThe study concluded that family caregivers of people with BD-I had moderate levels of caregiver burden and low resilience, influenced by various factors related to themselves and their patients. Psychological education interventions within the framework of mental health support systems are recommended to reduce caregiver burden in these people.

Impact of Sociodemographic and Psychological Factors on Adherence to Glaucoma Treatment - A Cross-Sectional Study.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by progressive and irreversible damage to the optic nerve. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of sociodemographic and psychological factors on adherence to glaucoma therapy. The study was carried out among 190 adults treated for glaucoma at the Ophthalmology Outpatient Clinic of the University Teaching Hospital in Wroclaw between January 2019 and September 2019. Treatment adherence was measured using the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS). We used the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). 58.9% patients reported low treatment adherence. Educated females aged 68 or under living in cities had higher adherence. The regression analysis showed an association between dispositional optimism and glaucoma treatment adherence. The higher the level of dispositional optimism, the better the adherence. Higher dispositional optimism is directly associated with a sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy and a feeling of internal control. Patients reporting a high level of illness acceptance were found to have 2.5 times higher odds of adhering to glaucoma therapy. Illness acceptance is an indicator of the degree of adaptation to an illness and is positively correlated with a sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy and engagement in healthy behavior. More than half of patients with glaucoma have low adherence. Sociodemographic characteristics (female gender, age 68 or under, tertiary education and living in an urban area) and psychological characteristics (high level of illness acceptance, dispositional optimism and satisfaction with life) are significant predictors of high adherence.

Perceptions and Expectations: A Study on Prognostic Perception and Quality of Life in Patients With Metastatic Renal and Bladder Cancer.

Durable complete response rates for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and metastatic bladder cancer (mBC) are low despite new therapy. Palliative care focuses on life extension and quality of life (QoL), not cure. This study aims to investigate patients' perceptions of treatment outcomes in mRCC and mBC and to assess the influence of QoL and optimism levels on these perceptions. From March 15, 2023, to January 15, 2024, a multicenter, cross-sectional online survey was carried out, targeting patients diagnosed with mRCC and mBC. The survey comprised structured questions aimed at evaluating perceptions concerning disease cure, symptom improvement, daily activity performance, and life extension due to treatment. Additionally, to evaluate optimism and QoL, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer 30.3 QoL questionnaire and life orientation test were implemented. Study on patients' perceptions of treatment outcomes in metastatic kidney and bladder cancer shows high optimism, inaccurate cure beliefs. In total, 169 patients participated in the survey; the majority of the patients stated their general health status as good (72.2%) and excellent (13.6%). Patients who rated their overall health status as good-excellent had a higher median general QoL and optimism score compared with those who rated it as fair-poor. In all, 85.2% of patients considered the possibility of a cure very likely or likely. Most participants believed treatment could provide symptom relief (30.2% very likely, 49.1% likely), enhanced ability to perform daily activities (28.4% very likely, 55.6% likely), and life extension (32.5% very likely, 53.3% likely). Patients responding very likely and likely to these questions regarding treatment outcomes had higher QoL and optimism scores than those responding a little likely and not possible. The majority of patients with mRCC and mBC held inaccurate beliefs about treatment outcomes. Better QoL and optimism were associated with increased inaccuracy.

The Effect of Optimism and Gratitude on Subjective Well-Being of Parents of Children with Special Needs

The children who are born with imperfect conditions are often referred as children with special needs. Parents of children with special needs shown to have low levels of optimism and gratitude, which can affect the level of subjective well-being. This research aims to prove the influence of optimism and gratitude on the subjective well-being of parents with special needs children. The present study used a quantitative approach with a survey research type. The research location was in Pidie Regency, Aceh, with a sample size of 132 parents aged 20-55. The sampling technique used simple random sampling. The instruments used in this research include The Satisfaction of Life Scale (SWLS) and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) with a reliability value of 0.710, the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) with a reliability value of 0.793, and the Gratitude Questionnaire (Q-6) with a reliability value of 0.761. The result shows that optimism and gratitude can simultaneously influence the subjective well-being of parents who have children with special needs (ß=0.087, p=0.000). The practical contribution made by optimism and gratitude to subjective well-being is 97.5%. The study revealed that optimism and gratitude are very influential in increasing subjective well-being in parents. In conclusion, parents with high subjective well-being tend to show confidence, appreciation, and satisfaction in life, thus positively contributing to parental involvement with children.

Relations of optimism and purpose in life to immune markers in aging

ObjectiveOptimism and purpose in life are associated with improved health outcomes. More information is needed on biological mechanisms, including immunosenescence. We investigated if psychological well-being is associated with healthier immunosenescence-related measures including naïve and terminally differentiated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell percentages, CD4+:CD8+, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG response. MethodsParticipants were adults over age 50 from the Health and Retirement Study. Optimism was measured using the Life Orientation Test Revised. Purpose in life was assessed using the subscale from the Ryff psychological well-being measure. We examined the cross-sectional associations of optimism and purpose in life with measures of T cell subsets using linear regression and with CMV IgG using ordered logit regression, controlling for potential confounding factors. ResultsThe final analytic sample ranged from 7250 to 7870. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, a 1-SD increment in optimism was associated with the percentage of naïve CD4+ T cells increasing by 0.6 (95%CI 0.2%, 1.0%). A 1-SD increment in purpose in life was associated with the percentage of naïve CD4+ T cells increasing by 0.9 (95%CI 0.5%, 1.3%) after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and the association was maintained after further adjustments for health conditions, depression, and health behaviors. For naïve CD8+ T cell percentages, CD4:CD8 ratios, and CMV IgG antibodies, associations were seen only in models that adjusted for age. No significant associations were seen in any models for the terminally differentiated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. ConclusionsWe found associations of optimism and purpose in life with naïve CD4+ T cell percentages.

Analysis of status and influencing factors of mental health in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disorder with varied clinical courses and prognoses, not only did the patients suffer from physical impairment, but also various physical and psychiatric comorbidities. Growing evidence have suggested that mental disorders in SLE patients, can lead to various adverse consequences. AIM To explored the features and influencing factors of mental health in patients with SLE and clarifying the correlations between mental health and personality characteristics and perceived social support. The results would provide a basis for psychological intervention in patients with SLE. METHODS The clinical data of 168 patients with SLE admitted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University between June 2020 and June 2022 were collected. Psychological assessment and correlation analysis were conducted using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and Perceived Social Support Scale, and the collected data were compared with the national norms in China. The relevant factors influencing mental health were identified by statistical analysis. A general information questionnaire, the Revised Life Orientation Test, and Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey were employed to assess optimism level and quality of life (QoL), respectively. RESULTS Patients with SLE obtained higher scores for the somatization, depression, anxiety, and phobic anxiety subscales than national norms (P &lt; 0.05). A correlation was identified between total social support and total SCL-90 score or each subscale (P &lt; 0.05). The factors significantly affecting patients’ mental health were hormone dosage and disease activity index (DAI) (P &lt; 0.05). The average optimism score of patients with SLE was 14.36 ± 4.42, and 30 cases were in the middle and lower levels. A positive correlation was found between optimism level and QoL scores. CONCLUSION Patients with SLE develop psychological disorders at varying degrees, which are significantly influenced by hormone dosage and DAI. Patients’ mental health should be closely monitored during clinical diagnosis and treatment and provided adequate support in establishing positive, healthy thinking and behavior patterns and improving their optimism level and QoL.

Maternal mental health and breastfeeding duration: the role of optimism and coping strategies

Background/Aims Mental health can influence the likelihood that a woman will initiate and continue breastfeeding behaviour that is associated with improved infant and maternal health. Mental health outcomes are associated with variables such as optimism and coping. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between coping, optimism and mental health, and their impact on breastfeeding duration. Methods A total of 612 women who had breastfed completed an online questionnaire comprising the hospital anxiety and depression scale, cognitive emotional regulation questionnaire, brief coping orientation to problems experienced inventory and life orientation test. Data were analysed using correlations, ordinal linear regression and mediation analysis. Results There was a direct relationship between breastfeeding duration and depression but no direct relationship between duration and anxiety. A mediation analysis showed no mediating between breastfeeding duration and depression. Optimism did mediate the relationship between anxiety and duration, with optimism being associated with reduced anxiety and increased duration. Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of support for mothers while breastfeeding to improve mental health outcomes and foster coping strategies, such as optimism.

Optimism and Self-esteem of Employees Contributing to Organizational Productivity

The given study examines the role of self-esteem and optimism in software organizations based in Hyderabad, India. It establishes the new spectrum of optimism, self-esteem and its transformational effect on employees, their positivity and eventual productiveness. Purposive sampling technique wass used for selecting the sample for the study. Survey research methodology was used to get data from the sample. The Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) was used to measure optimism and The 10-item Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) was used to assess global self-esteem. Survey research is used as research methodology. Correlation and ANOVA are used to analyze the data. It was found that optimism had a strong and positive correlation with self-esteem. The association between self-esteem, optimism and work experience was also found to be significant and moderately positive. A significant difference between the optimism level of senior and junior level employees was also observed. Based on these results, it can be concluded that software employees who have an optimistic outlook and adequate self-esteem contribute towards greater employee performance, overall organizational productivity and fared well in consumer facing roles.

The connection of life satisfaction with the image of the future in overcoming a difficult life situation

The article presents the results of a study of the relationship between life satisfaction and the image of the future for people living in a difficult life situation. A qualitative analysis of the respondents' answers to open-ended questions allowed us to identify three groups depending on the experience of encountering a difficult life situation. In addition, the following questionnaires were used: Satisfaction With Life Scale of E. Diener in the adaptation of E.N. Osin and D.A. Leontiev; the Life Orientation Test of C. Carver and M. Scheier in the adaptation of T.O. Gordeeva, O.A. Sychev, E.N. Osin; the questionnaire «Professional time perspective of the future» H. Zacher and M. Frese in the adaptation of T.Y. Bazarov, A.V. Paramuzov; the questionnaire «Aspirations Index» by E.L. Deci and R.M. Ryan in the adaptation by T.D. Vasilenko, Y.A. Kotelnikova, A.V. Selina. It was revealed that respondents who are in a difficult life situation have significantly lower life satisfaction rates and a more pessimistic vision of the future. But regression analysis showed that for these participants, various aspects of the image of the future, namely generalized positive expectations of the future, focusing on opportunities in a professional environment, orientation towards building close relationships, act as resources of life satisfaction. In the group where respondents had overcome life difficulties in the recent past and in the group in which participants reported no recent experience of encountering difficult situations, the characteristics of the image of the future turned out to be unrelated to life satisfaction. The scientific novelty of the study lies in obtaining more detailed data on the contribution of the image of the future to life satisfaction in overcoming a difficult life situation.

Health and Wellbeing of Regional and Rural Australian Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Baseline Cross-Sectional Findings from the Loddon Mallee Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Study—A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) has created complex pressures and challenges for healthcare systems worldwide; however, little is known about the impacts COVID-19 has had on regional/rural healthcare workers. The Loddon Mallee Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Study (LMHCWCS) cohort was established to explore and describe the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional and rural healthcare workers. Methods: Eligible healthcare workers employed within 23 different healthcare organisations located in the Loddon Mallee region of Victoria, Australia, were included. In this cohort study, a total of 1313 participants were recruited from November 2020–May 2021. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and burnout were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Impact of Events Scale-6 (IES-6), and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), respectively. Resilience and optimism were measured using the Brief Resilience Scale and Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R), respectively. Subjective fear of COVID-19 was measured using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Results: These cross-sectional baseline findings demonstrate that regional/rural healthcare workers were experiencing moderate/severe depressive symptoms (n = 211, 16.1%), moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (n = 193, 14.7%), and high personal or patient/client burnout with median total scores of 46.4 (IQR = 28.6) and 25.0 (IQR = 29.2), respectively. There was a moderate degree of COVID-19-related fear. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience (n = 854, 65.0%). Based on self-reporting, 15.4% had a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 kgm2 and 37.0% have a BMI of 25 kgm2 or over. Overall, 7.3% of participants reported they were current smokers and 20.6% reported alcohol consumption that is considered moderate/high-risk drinking. Only 21.2% of the sample reported consuming four or more serves of vegetables daily and 37.8% reported consuming two or more serves of fruit daily. There were 48.0% the sample who reported having poor sleep quality measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Conclusion: Regional/rural healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia, were experiencing a moderate to high degree of psychological distress during the early stages of the pandemic. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience. Findings will be used to inform policy options to support healthcare workers in responding to future pandemics.

Effect of Emotional Intelligence on the General Health and Life Orientation of Adolescents Who Have a Hearing Impairment

ABSTRACT Deafness is a common sensorineural disorder that can lead to lower quality of life and life orientation. Hence, we examined the effect of emotional intelligence (EI) on the general health and life orientation of adolescents who have a hearing impairment. The Participants were 32 adolescents aged 16–19 years selected via random sampling method from Deaf schools in Isfahan. They were randomly divided to intervention and control groups. Each group also consisted of 16 adolescents. The intervention group participated in an EI program for 12 sessions. These sessions were implemented for 45 minutes a day, two days a week for six weeks. Data were collected by a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Life Orientation Test (LOT). The findings suggested that EI training significantly influenced the general health and life orientation of the experimental group, after participation in the intervention sessions. These results suggest that EI might result in positive and effective consequences and might play an important role in the improvement of general health and life orientation of the participants. For this reason, these findings have critical implications for therapists, teachers, and parents in supporting adolescents who have a hearing impairment to develop their general health and life orientation.

Post-COVIDmental health of librarians in Vietnam

This study aims to measure the mental well-being levels of librarians in Vietnamin the new normal context after the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings are expected to advocate for future policy interventions regarding mental health carefor staffin Vietnam’s librariesand information centerssince the pandemic has made coping with crises recognised globally as an integral part of life. On this ground, a survey was designed and administered online for librarians across Vietnam to self-rate their 5 dimensions of psychological generalwell-being using the WHO-5 [1]together with the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) [2],and Strahan-Gerbasi’s 1972 short version of the Marlow‐Crowne Social Desirability Scale [3].The survey shows despite the low mid-COVID mental health, there was a statisticallysignificant increase in mental health scores in the new normal. There are abouttwo-thirds of the surveyed librarians areinfected with COVID-19. For either the mid-or post-COVIDmental health, there was a statistically significant difference in scores between the infected and uninfected ones. Threeindependent-samplet-tests on genders, marital and parenthood statuses only found statistically significant differences in mid-and post-COVIDmental health scores between different marital and parenthood statuses, with the unmarried and the ones with no children scoring higher on both mid-and post-COVIDmental health over their counterparts. Eight one-way between-groups ANOVA tests conducted on a wide range of demographics (geographical area, library type, library size, age, seniority, position, specialization, and qualification) only showed statistically significant differences in mid- 2and post-COVIDmental health scores between different age groups, seniority levels, and types of position.

Psychometric properties of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short Form (OHQ-SF) in a Greek student sample

BackgroundThe purpose of the current study was to adapt and explore the psychometric properties of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short Form (OHQ-SF) in a Greek student sample.AimThis quantitative cross-sectional study was applied in order to translate and validate the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short Form (OHQ-SF) into Greek and to assess the psychometric properties.MethodThe English version of OHQ-SF was translated into Greek using the forward and backward translation. The sample was consisted of 88 adult students from the Public Educational Training Institution in Thessaloniki. Two self-report measures the Greek version of OHQ-SF and the Greek version of the Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R—to check the construct validity) were completed twice, for test and retest assessment, in full anonymity and confidentiality.Statistical analysisThe psychometric properties of OHQ-SF/GR, namely the internal–external reliability and construct validity, were assessed, and the expected unidimensional structure was tested with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).Results and discussionThe Greek version of OHQ-SF (OHQ-SF/GR), for both test and retest, has adequate internal reliability, satisfactory structural validity, and adequate construct validity. The CFA indicated the unidimensional structure of the OHQ-SF/GR, and the fit indexes displayed good fit with the data. One item was removed due to poor correlation with the latent factor of happiness. The current study reveals that the final seven-item OHQ-SF/GR has very satisfactory psychometric properties being useful instrument to measure happiness levels in Greek adult students and is a valid tool that can be utilised in research field.

Effect of an Optimistic Approach on Individual Life Satisfaction

The study explores the impact of an optimistic approach on an individual’s life satisfaction. The study aims to understand the relationships between variables and determine whether they align with previous research findings showing that an optimistic approach benefits greater life satisfaction. The study was conducted in Pakistan. Two hundred participants were taken through purposive sampling, belonging to different socio-economic backgrounds. They were administered The Life Orientation Test (LOT) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). To establish inter-item consistency, Cronbach alpha value was found for LOT as (α = .69-.72) and for SWLS as (α = .83-.92). Results showed a positive &amp; relatively strong correlation (r=.473, n=200, p=.000) between the two variables through Pearson correlation test. Further, Regression was applied, resulting in a highly significant relationship f (1, 98) = p&lt;0.05, R2=.552. Despite low optimism scores, a high level of life satisfaction was determined, and when optimism increases by 1 point, the life satisfaction score increases by 2,141 points. Based on the results of the study, the influence of optimism on life satisfaction in the context of Pakistan is discussed.

Effect of Positive Thinking Skills on Optimism and Death Anxiety of COVID-19 Nurses: A quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed nurses on the front lines, facing challenging conditions and increased stress levels. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of positive thinking skills training on nurses' optimism and death anxiety while caring for COVID-19 patients. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental, two-group, pre- and post-test study, a total of 52 eligible nurses working at Amir al-Momenin Hospital in Zabol, Iran, between October and December 2022, were divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received positive thinking skills training via email or WhatsApp, with eight, 60-minutes sessions over two months. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and the Scheier and Carver Life Orientation Test, both before and one month after the intervention. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in optimism and death anxiety scores between the two groups before the intervention. However, the intervention group showed a statistically significant increase in optimism (from 13.11±3.78 to 19.03±2.58) and decrease in death anxiety (from 55.15±7.06 to 41.76±4.48) after the intervention (P &lt;0.001). CONCLUSION: Considering the stressful nature of COVID-19 disease, positive thinking skills training can be recommended as an effective method to reduce death anxiety and improve nurses' optimism, thus enhancing their willingness to continue caring for patients.

The impact of self-esteem, optimism and emotional intelligence on the professional development of future primary and pre-school teachers

ABSTRACT The way in which students can identify, regulate and manage their emotions can impact not only on their present positive attitude and increased self-esteem, but also on their subsequent professional performance. In this study, 798 pre-service teachers participated, with a mean age of 24.52 years (±5.48). The instruments used were: Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS-S), Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The aim was to determine the potential value of optimism and pessimism among the emotional intelligence and self-esteem of pre-service teachers. The results showed that emotional intelligence is related to optimism (R2 = .352) and moderately to pessimism (R2 = .148) and self-esteem (R2 = .135), with a root mean square error of .067. The practical consequences showed that emotional intelligence has a strong impact on socioemotional competencies, with optimism versus pessimism acting as mediating variables, which in turn contributes to the self-esteem of future teachers.