Lower Levels Of Hope Research Articles

Hope and its relationship with treatment/ physical related factors in lung cancer patients receiving immunotherapy

BackgroundpurposeImmunotherapy is a new treatment option for patients with Lung Cancer (LC). However, relatively limited research has explored about patients’ perception of hope and its associated factors during the process. This study aimed to examine level of perceived hope and the factors related to hope, with a particular focus on treatment and physically related factors, in LC patients receiving immunotherapy. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted and patients who had already received at least one immunotherapy cycle were recruited from two hospitals in northern Taiwan. The questionnaire included a background information form, the Herth's Hope Index, and the Symptom Severity Scale. Stepwise regression was applied to identify the most robust factors related to level of hope in the participants. ResultsA total of 130 patients were recruited. Overall, patients reported moderate to high levels of hope and mild symptoms. Fatigue, weakness, appearance changes, pruritus, and shortness of breath were identified as the most severe symptoms. Further regression analysis showed that patients with poor performance status, less immunotherapy cycles, higher level of fatigue, and more severe pruritus reported to have lower level of hope which explained 47% of the variances. ConclusionsThis study revealed that lung cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy had moderate level of hope. Patients’ performance status, selected symptoms and times of receiving immunotherapy were the robust factors related to hope. Systematic assessment of patients' symptoms and the development of appropriate interventions to reduce distress and enhance hope are strongly recommended for both clinical care and research.

Increasing resilience among LGBTQ youth: The protective role of natural mentors

Based on the minority stress model, which emphasizes the unique risk stressors that impact LGBTQ youths’ lives, and the resilience perspective, which emphasizes the interaction between protective and promotive factors in youth and their surroundings, we investigated in this exploratory study the mechanism by which natural mentoring relationships contribute to LGBTQ youths’ hope. A web sampling of LGBTQ youth aged 12–25 (N = 198) was used, and participants answered a self-report questionnaire to assess their hope, mentor support, risk factors (i.e., internalized homophobia, anti-LGBTQ harassment, level of outness, gender identity and sexual orientation) and personal characteristics. Findings showed that the support of mentors, particularly mentors as autonomy promoters, contributed significantly to LGBTQ youths’ hope. Results also revealed that transgender youth had lower levels of hope than did LGBQ cisgender youth. The mediation analysis revealed that the support of mentors mediated the link between risk factors (e.g., antigay harassment, internalized homophobia) and higher levels of hope. The discussion suggests considering both risk and protective factors as an integral part of LGBTQ youth intervention programs in the contexts of their lives (e.g., school). Also discussed are the possible explanations for the contribution of natural mentoring and the mechanism involved in risk and protective factors. Implications for practice emphasize the importance of increasing LGBTQ youths’ hope via their social ties with mentors in their environments.

Analysis of influencing factors of anxiety and depression in patients with periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a chronic oral disease caused by pathogenic microorganisms that corrode tooth tissue, form periodontal pockets, absorb alveolar bone, and finally lead to tooth loss. During treatment, patients are prone to anxiety, tension, and other negative emotions, which affect their ability to face the disease and may also lead to aggravation of the original condition and affect oral health. Therefore, it is important to improve the negative psychology of patients with periodontitis to clarify the factors that may lead to negative psychological emotions. To investigate the risk factors that may lead to anxiety and depression in patients with periodontitis. One hundred patients with periodontitis were selected between March 2022 and March 2023 at our hospital. All patients were assessed with the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) (≥ 53 points indicate a depressive state) and Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) (≥ 50 points indicates an anxious state). In this study, patients who experienced anxiety or depression were included in the occurrence group and those without anxiety or depression were included in the non-occurrence group. The baseline data of the two groups were compared to explore the risk factors for anxiety and depression in patients with periodontitis. A total of 100 patients with periodontitis were included in this study. According to the SDS, 38 patients (38.00%) developed depression, with an average SDS score of (68.52 ± 5.85) points. According to the SAS, 40 patients (40.00%) developed anxiety, and the average SAS score was (72.15 ± 4.15) points. In this study, 56 patients with anxiety or depression were included. Compared with the non-occurrence group, the occurrence group had higher ages (≥ 60 years), lower level of hope (low level), educational level (high school or below), disease perception (poor), and sleep disorder (yes). The negative coping dimension scores of the simplified coping style questionnaire (SCSQ) and Dental Fear Scale (DFS) in the occurrence group were higher, whereas the score of the positive coping dimension of the SCSQ was significantly lower (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the other data between the groups (P > 0.05). The results of multiple logistics regression analysis showed that age (≥ 60 years), level of hope (low level), educational level (high school or below), disease perception (poor), sleep disorder (yes), high negative coping dimension scores of SCSQ, high score of DFS, and low positive coping dimension scores of SCSQ were all factors contributing to the anxiety and depression in patients with periodontitis (odds ratio > 1, P < 0.05). Age, hope level, educational level, disease perception, sleep disorders, coping style, and dental fear were all associated with anxiety and depression in patients with periodontitis.

Fear of progression, loneliness, and hope in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: a cross-sectional relational study.

In recent years, fear of disease progression (FoP) has become one of the most common psychological problems in cancer patients. However, there are fewer studies on the FoP in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. We aimed to assess the level of FoP in patients with gastrointestinal tumors and analyze the factors related to FoP. We also aimed to examine the relationship among loneliness, hope and FoP in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on three Grade A hospitals in southwestern China from November 2021 to July 2022. The demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, Fear of Disease Progression Scale (FoP-Q-SF), Cancer Loneliness Scale (CLS), and Herth Hope Index (HHI) were included in this study. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. In total, 245 gastrointestinal cancer patients participated in this study. The average (standard deviation) FoP score in patients was 32.94 ± 10.64. In total, 245 gastrointestinal cancer patients participated in this study. The average (standard deviation) FoP score in patients was 32.94 ± 10.64. The average score of CLS was 17.65 ± 6.71, and that for the HHI was 31.27 ± 7.73. Pearson correlation analysis showed that FoP was negatively significant correlated with hope level (r = -0.522) and FoP was positively significant correlated with loneliness (r = 0.545). Linear regression analysis showed that educational level, age, living condition, hope, and loneliness were the significant predictors of FoP and explained 53.10% of the variability in FoP (F = 16.372). Findings highlight the need to strengthen attention to FoP in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Our study showed that gastrointestinal cancer patients who have a high school education, are age 45 to 59, live alone, high level of loneliness, and low level of hope have higher FoP. Medical staff should enhance clinical screening of FoP and consider the formulation of relevant interventions for high-risk groups to reduce loneliness among patients, raise their hope level, and reduce their FoP.

The Effect of Perceived Tinnitus Disturbance on Hope.

Although there are systematic reviews of the effects of tinnitus on quality of life, the relationship of tinnitus to hopefulness has not been examined. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between tinnitus distress and hope by comparing the severity of tinnitus to measures of hopefulness. This was done by comparing the Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire (TRQ) to the following hope scales: the Herth Hope Scale (HHS) and the Herth Hope Index (HHI). Patients seen for a tinnitus evaluation in the University of Tennessee audiology clinic completed the TRQ, HHS, and HHI scales. Investigation of relationships between tinnitus assessment using the TRQ and measurements of hope (HHS and HHI) was performed via correlation analyses using Pearson coefficients and linear regression. Significant correlations were found between overall scores on the TRQ and HHS, and TRQ and HHI, indicating that greater tinnitus distress was associated with lower levels of hope. Further analyses showed the HHS and HHI Domain 1, regarding temporality and future, as significantly related to tinnitus distress. Significant correlations between tinnitus disturbance and hope suggest that potential interventions based on hopefulness may be of benefit for individuals suffering from tinnitus.

Experiences of poverty-related family risk and internalizing problems in childhood: The mediating role of hope

This longitudinal study examined whether poverty-related family risk groups with varying family resource, parental, and relational risks differed in their children's internalizing problems, and whether children's hope mediated this relationship. A sample of 798 children from poor families (N = 798, Mage = 11.76, SD = 2.56) was obtained from six township public schools in China. Four groups were identified: education and involvement risk group, high risk group, parenting risk group, and family resource risk group. All groups differed in terms of internalizing problems. Compared to the education and involvement risk group, children in the high risk and parenting risk groups demonstrated higher internalizing problems, which was explained by their lower level of hope. These findings highlight that children from poor families are affected by different risk combinations, and hope may be a possible mechanism linking specific risk combinations with children's internalizing problems. These findings have implications for targeted intervention strategies.

Peer trust and prosocial behavior among rural left-behind adolescents: The negative moderating role of hope

ABSTRACT Based on the positive youth development (PYD) framework, the protective-protective model, and the conservation of resources theory, this study examined the negative moderating effect of hope between peer trust and six types of prosocial behaviors (emotional, dire, altruistic, compliant, anonymous, and public) among rural left behind adolescents (LBAs) and analyzed the difference of the moderating effect of hope between LBAs and nonLBAs. A total of 700 rural LBAs and 673 rural non-LBAs in Fujian province were surveyed using the Peer Trust Scale, Hope Scale, and Prosocial Tendencies Measure. Correlation analysis showed that peer trust, hope, and six types of prosocial behaviors were all positively correlated. Moderated analysis revealed that peer trust had a stronger influence on emotional, dire, altruistic, and compliant prosocial behavior under a low level of hope in LBAs. Compared with LBAs, hope did not moderate the relationship between peer trust and emotional, dire, and compliant prosocial behavior in non-LBAs. This study revealed the moderating mechanism of LBAs’ peer trust and prosocial behavior and might help them to improve their prosocial behavior.

A pattern-centered analysis of adolescents' concerns and hopes about future crises: Differences in ways of coping and personal adjustment.

Many adolescents are concerned about global and future crises, such as the health of the planet or terrorism/safety. Yet, adolescents can also express hope about the future. Thus, asking adolescents about their concern and hope could yield subgroups with different ways of coping and personal adjustment. Australian adolescents (N = 863; age 10-16) completed surveys to report their concern (worry and anger) and hope about the planet, safety, jobs, income, housing, and technology, as well as their active and avoidant coping, depression, and life satisfaction. Four distinct subgroups were identified using cluster analysis: Hopeful (low on concern and high on hope across all issues, 32%), Uninvolved (low in concern and hope; 26%), Concerned about the Planet (CP, 27%), and Concerned about Future Life (CFL, 15%). When compared (adjusting for age, sex, and COVID timing), the CP subgroup was highest in active coping (e.g., taking action) but moderate in personal adjustment. Hopeful had the most positive adjustment, whereas CFL had the poorest adjustment. Uninvolved were lowest in coping but moderate in adjustment. Findings suggest ways of coping and adjustment may not always align, in that CP is connected with more active coping but also some cost to personal adjustment, whereas Hopeful is associated with optimal adjustment but perhaps at the cost of active coping. In addition, although CFL adolescents emerged as the at-risk group, the low levels of hope and coping in Uninvolved adolescents raise the possibility that they are at risk of future problems.

Hope moderates the relationship between students’ sense of belonging and academic misconduct

This study investigates how hope moderates the relationship between students’ sense of belonging and their academic misconduct intentions and behaviours. A sample of 234 university students (57% female) aged between 16 and 64 (Mage = 25.56, SDage = 8.18) responded to an online survey. The survey included demographic questions, measures of student’s sense of belonging at university, dispositional hope, motivation to reach their goals (Agency), perceived ability to implement a plan to attain their goal (Pathways), future intentions to engage in academic misconduct intentions (AM Intentions) and previous engagement in academic misconduct behaviours (AM Behaviours). Our findings suggest that a student’s sense of belonging to their university and their levels of hope are negatively associated with academic misconduct intentions. We also observed a significant Hope × Belongingness, Agency × Belongingness, and Pathways × Belongingness interaction for students’ AM intentions and their AM behaviours. Our findings identified that students who have a strong sense of belonging, but low levels of hope are more likely to engage in academic misconduct behaviours. We also confirm that high levels of hope are protective against students engaging in academic misconduct. Universities can use these findings to identify students at an increased risk of engaging in academic misconduct and protect at-risk students from engaging in academic misconduct by improving their goal motivation and perceived capacity to implement a plan to reach their education goals.

FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE: UNDERSTANDING RELIGIOSITY AND HOPE AMONG OLDER AFRICAN AMERICAN COUPLES

Abstract Older African Americans frequently turn to their religion or spiritual faith as a source of coping and resilience. Disproportionately burdened by numerous disparities and stressors, many African American utilize religion as a source hope for the future. Existing studies suggest that higher levels of positive religious coping are associated with higher levels of hope, and more frequent experiences with negative religious coping are associated with lower levels of hope. However, the relationship between religious coping and hope is underexamined among one of the most religious dyads in the U.S., older African American couples. This study utilizes data from 194 older African American couples (146 married and 48 cohabiting), with each partner between the age of 50 and 86 years, to examine the dyadic relationship between religious coping and hope. Actor Partner Interdependence Models revealed that men’s religious coping was associated with their own hope, and women’s religious coping was associated with their own hope. One unexpected partner effect was identified and found that women’s positive religious coping was negatively associated with men’s hope. Given the dearth of research on older African American couples, along with the need to better understand religious significance in psychosocial dyadic outcomes, this study offers several implications for engaging African American couples in relational counseling and therapy across the life course.

Comparing hope and psychological well-being in parents of disabled and healthy children

ABSTRACT The study aims to Compare Hope and Psychological Well-Being in Parents of Disabled and Healthy Children. The data collection was done in the period of October to November 2020 in Eqlid city of Fars province. 116 parents participated in the study. Miller Hope Scale (MHS) and psychological well-being questionnaire (PWB) were used to collect data. There is a difference between the parents of disabled and healthy children in terms of hope, and subscales of psychological well-being (P < .05). The results showed that parents of children with disabilities have lower levels of hope and psychological well-being compared to parents of healthy children.

Psychological Burden, Hope, And Resilience among Mothers of Autistic Spectrum Children; Comparative Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability includes deficits in social, communication skills and repetitive behaviors. The aim of the study was to compare the levels of psychological burden, hope, and resilience of mothers who have autistic child in comparison to mothers who have normal child. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted using a non-random sampling of 195 mothers of autistic child selected from governmental and private autism centers and a comparative group of mothers of normal children from Duhok province Iraq in a period of three months from 15th November 2021 to 15th February 2022. A battery of instruments was used to assess psychological burden, hope and resilience. RESULTS: The study revealed that the stress, anxiety, and depression level mean scores were higher in mothers who have autistic child, Stress; (M=23.31, SD=5.442), Anxiety; (M=11.78, SD=4.045), and Depression; (M=13.24, SD=4.744) compared to scores in non-autistic mothers (M=7.48, SD=4.576), (M=4.16, SD=2.643), and (M=4.91, SD=2.852) respectively. Furthermore, the hope and resilience mean scores were lower in mothers who have autistic child hope; (M=35.18, SD=7.716) and resilience; (M=2.82, SD=0.608) respectively, compared to scores in non-autistic mothers (M=47.69, SD=5.371) and (M=3.86, SD=0.481) respectively. The study found that staying in the center and being a divorced mother were the mostly demographic factor having highly significant relationship with psychological burden, hope, and resilience. CONCLUSIONS: The mothers of autistic children were significantly experiencing higher level of psychological burden and a lower level of hope and resilience as compared to mothers who have normal children. These findings are important for mental health planning for mothers of autistic children

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care and psychological impact on cancer patients.

To summarize the current literature on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on patients with cancer, both in terms of the impact of the virus itself and of changes in the healthcare system; and to describe current recommendations for supporting patients with cancer during the pandemic. Multiple studies have shown that patients with cancer experience high levels of psychological distress during COVID-19. Factors of greater vulnerability have been described as: being young, being female, low socioeconomic status, lower educational level, having low levels of hope or optimism, lower social support, and having cancer with curative intent. The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2pandemic has accelerated the healthcare digitization process. All departments involved in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer have made contingency plans to minimize the impact on patients. Psychological distress is one of the most frequently occurring symptoms in patients with cancer during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a restructuring of the healthcare system. The paradigm shift may pose a challenge for both healthcare professionals and patients.

A longitudinal study to explore unmet care needs, social support, and hope of women with gynecological cancer

The experience of a life-threatening illness, such as cancer, can have an array of health impacts and social and psychological well-being can be compromised. This study compared differences in unmet care needs, social support, and hope of Taiwanese women with either newly diagnosed (n=72) or recurring (n=39) gynecological cancer at baseline (T0) and three follow-up surveys every 2 months (T1; T2; T3). Sociodemographic questions and three standardized self-administered questionnaires were used. The generalized estimating equations (GEE) method was used to analyze data. Women with recurrent cancer reported higher levels of care needs and lower levels of hope than those with a primary diagnosis. Significant positive correlations between social support and hope scores were observed for women with recurring cancer at T1 and T2. However, these women reported less hope at T3 compared to those with a primary diagnosis. Routine assessment of women's care needs related to their medical condition and provision of different kinds of support can aim to improve well-being and their hope for the future.

Brief hope-building intervention for adults actively experiencing homelessness: effect of participation on dispositional hope, satisfaction with life, and perceived standing in society

ABSTRACT Homelessness is a major threat to overall wellbeing. Individuals and families experiencing homelessness have higher rates of chronic and infectious diseases than the general population, including most mental illnesses. They also tend to have much lower levels of hope than the general population. While working to obtain stable housing, people experiencing homelessness can benefit from psychosocial support strategies. Strategies to leverage positive psychological factors, such as hope, satisfaction with life, and perceived standing in society, are associated with improved health status and other wellbeing indicators in vulnerable populations. The primary objective of this exploratory study was to determine if a brief, open, small-group intervention at a homeless daytime drop-in center could increase levels of hope, satisfaction with life, and perceived standing in society. This intervention did not produce significant changes in dispositional hope, satisfaction with life, or perceived standing in society. The principal findings of this exploratory study signal a possible need for more thorough and long-term efforts in populations experiencing homelessness.

The Importance of Hope to Resilience in Criminal Justice Diversion Programs

The United States has the highest levels of incarceration in the world, and finding ways to address this ever-growing concern has value both to system-involved individuals and broader society. "Diversion" programs are a pre-trial option that provides rehabilitation and personal development as alternatives to incarceration. Hope is an asset to coping with adversity, and studies have revealed that people who have lower levels of hope are at greater risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system. One characteristic linked to success in navigating diversion programs is psychological resilience, with hope theory suggesting a hopeful mindset is an antecedent of that resilience. The current study (N = 52) evaluated this theory by testing a model of hope as a driver of resilience. Participants were receiving various diversion-related services in the Heartland of the United States. Participant surveys included established measures of both hope and resilience. First, item scores' principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that hope and resilience operated as unique psychological constructs within the sample. A subsequent path model analysis of hope as a predictor of resilience indicated that, as theorized, hope accounted for 17.2% of the variance in resilience across both race and gender. The results support that hope is essential to psychological resilience among diversion clients. The results suggest that future research into hope theory-based interventions with diversion clients is worthwhile.

Prevalence and Predictors of Suicidal Ideation in Patients Following Cardiac Surgery.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) which demand special attention and immediate help are referred to as PROs alert. Suicidal ideation (SI) is one of the PROs alerts which are insufficiently investigated. The aim was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for SI in patients following cardiac surgery. A total of 190 patients (mean age: 66.09, SD = 10.19; 57 women) were assessed at three months following cardiac surgery. SI was identified using the Patient Health Qustionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) question. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Modified was used to assess anxiety, depression, and irritability. Additionally, self-perceived health improvement and level of hope were assessed using the Likert scale. Dyspnea and chest pain were assessed using a visual analogue scale. SI was observed in 14.7% of participants. Patients experiencing SI had significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, irritability, dyspnea and chest pain. They perceived the surgery to be less effective and had lower levels of hope. No significant relationships were found regarding age, sex, employment status, myocardial infarction, heart failure, operation mode, type of procedure, extracorporal circulation, hospital stay and postsurgical complications. Logistic regression revealed female sex (B = 2.363), higher anxiety level (B = 0.451) and older age (B = 0.062) to be risk factors for SI. The total variance explained by the model was 46%. Assessing suicidality and negative emotions with special emphasis on anxiety simultaneously with somatic complaints is vital to address PROs alerts and improve care for patients following cardiac surgery. In-depth evaluation and psychological care are recommended in case of positive screening.

Collective disadvantage in the context of socioeconomic crisis in Greece: The role of system‐directed anger, politicians‐directed anger and hope in normative and non‐normative collective action participation

AbstractGroup‐based anger might take different forms depending on the target that is directed at. In this research, conducted in Greece (N = 470), we distinguished between two types of group‐based anger in the context of socioeconomic crisis: Anger directed towards the international system and anger directed towards the local politicians. We showed that politicians‐directed anger is better predicted by the mere perception of collective disadvantage, whereas system‐directed anger by the perceived illegitimacy of disadvantage. We then examined the mediating role of politicians‐directed and system‐directed anger in the relationship between perceived (illegitimate) disadvantage and collective action and the moderating role of hope in these processes. Results revealed that perceived illegitimacy of disadvantage was positively associated to normative and non‐normative collective action through system‐directed anger. Collective disadvantage was negatively linked to normative collective action via politicians‐directed anger but only among participants with low levels of hope. Moreover, collective disadvantage was directly and positively related to both types of collective action but only when hope was high. We discuss the differential implications of the two types of group‐based anger and the role of hope in political participation. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Mobilized or marginalized? Understanding low-status groups' responses to social justice efforts led by high-status groups.

Members of high-status groups (e.g., men) often lead social justice efforts that seek to benefit low-status groups (e.g., women), but little is known about how observers respond to such instances of visible and influential solidarity. We presented information about a nonprofit organization seeking to address gender (Study 1, N = 198) or racial (Study 2, N = 216) inequality, in which the leadership team was manipulated to include a numerical majority of either high-status group members or low-status group members. Members of low-status groups who read about the majority high-status leadership team reported lower levels of collective action intentions, compared with those who read about the majority low-status leadership team. Mediation analyses (Studies 1 and 2) and an experimental-causal-chain design (Study 3, N = 405) showed that lower collective action intentions in response to the majority high-status leadership team were mediated by participants' perception of a specific problem presented by high-status group leaders (lower awareness of inequality) and lower levels of hope. Study 4 (N = 555) demonstrated that low-status group members responded more negatively to a majority high-status leadership team in an organization seeking to benefit their low-status ingroup (solidarity context), compared with organizations seeking to benefit other groups (nonsolidarity contexts). Results provide the first evidence that the presence of influential high-status group leaders can discourage members of low-status groups from joining a social justice effort that seeks to benefit their ingroup, and that these negative responses extend beyond preferences predicted by frameworks of ingroup bias and role congruity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Parental bonding as a predictor of hope in adolescents

Hope enables individuals to cope with stressful situations by creating the expectation of a positive outcome. The existence of problematic behavior and psychological barriers in adolescents is partly due to their low level of hope, which is influenced by weak parent-child bonding. This study aims to determine the effect of parental bonding on hope among adolescents. Data were collected with an accidental sampling method from 400 participants in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The data were obtained using the Parental Bonding Instrument to measure the quality of parent-child attachment, and Snyder's Hope Scale to measure hope. They were analyzed using linear regression to establish the strength of the impact of parental bonding on hope. The results show that care and the autonomous parenting of the father and mother were strong predictors of hope in adolescents, while overprotection by the parents was not proven to predict such hope. The implications of the research can be used as a reference for parenting practice, and to guide adolescents both in the family and school contexts.