Pessimism Scores Research Articles

Optimism and pessimism as predictors of seizure group among patients with intractable seizure disorders

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale (PSM-R) as a measure of attributional style, and the incremental utility of optimism and pessimism as predictors of seizure group, in an intractable seizure disorder sample. Participants included adult patients with epileptic seizures (ES; n = 151) and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES; n = 173) whose diagnoses were confirmed by prolonged video/EEG monitoring (PVEM). Optimism and pessimism scores were computed from abbreviated versions of the MMPI for all participants. Analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between optimism, pessimism, and MMPI clinical scale scores. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to generate a model for the prediction of seizure group. Results supported the validity of the PSM-R as a measure of attributional style in an intractable seizure disorder sample. Both optimism and pessimism provided significant incremental predictive utility over and above other predictors of seizure group. There are advantages of using the proposed prediction model over other alternative differential diagnostic procedures, including lower cost, greater availability, and increased standardization. Overall, results indicated that attributional style is a clinically relevant index of personality and cognitive response to stress among an intractable seizure disorder sample.

Association Between Hearing Loss and Multiple Negative Emotional States in the USHispanic Population.

Hearing loss (HL) has been linked to commonly studied detrimental mood states, such as loneliness and depression. However, its relationship with other negative emotions remained largely unstudied. We explore the association between HL and anxiety, anger, hostility, poor self-esteem, and pessimism in a national cohort of USHispanic adults. Cross-sectional study. Multicentered USnational epidemiologic study (Hispanic Community Health Study). Subjects were ages 18 to 75 with completed audiometric and emotional survey data. Multivariable regressions controlling for age, gender, and education were conducted to analyze the association between HL, measured by 4-frequency pure-tone average (PTA), and emotional states. States included anxiety (Spielberger Trait Anxiety Scale-10), anger (Spielberger Trait Anger Scale), hostility (Cook Medley Cynicism Scale-13),poor self-esteem (Self-Esteem Scale-10), and pessimism (Revised Life Orientation Test). A total of 4120 to 4341 participants met inclusion criteria, depending on the specific survey; the average age was 46.7 years (standard deviation [SD] = 13.7), and the average PTA was 13.8 dB (SD = 10.1). Controlling for age, gender, and education, HL was associated with all outcomes. Specifically, for every 10 dB worsening in HL, the anxiety score worsened by 0.41 (0.23-0.60), the anger score worsened by 0.40 (0.22-0.58), the hostility score worsened by 0.16 (0.04-0.27), the self-esteem score worsened by 0.25 (0.12-0.38), and the pessimism score worsened by 0.17 (0.04-0.30) (all p < .01). HL is related to numerous negative mood states beyond loneliness and depression. This includes worse anxiety, anger, hostility, self-esteem, and pessimism. Future studies should investigate whether treating HL improves negative emotional states.

Independent and Joint Associations of Pessimism, Total Calorie Intake and Acid-Producing Diets with Insomnia Symptoms among Breast Cancer Survivors.

Insomnia is prevalent in up to 40% of breast cancer survivors. Few studies have examined pessimism and dietary factors as risk factors for insomnia among breast cancer survivors. We leveraged a cohort of 2944 breast cancer survivors who enrolled in the Women’s Healthy Eating and Living study; these survivors provided dietary, insomnia, mental health, demographic, and lifestyle information at baseline and at 1- and 4-year follow-up assessments. Insomnia symptoms were assessed using the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)-Insomnia Rating Scale, and pessimism was assessed using the Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R). Total calorie intake and acid-producing diets were assessed using 24 h dietary recalls. Multivariable-adjusted generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to test the independent and joint effects of psychological and dietary factors on insomnia. In the multivariable model, women in the third tertile of pessimism had greater odds (OR = 1.57 95% CI [1.37–1.79]) of insomnia when compared to women in the lowest tertile. Total calorie intake and acid-producing diets were each independently and significantly associated with insomnia symptoms. Further, pessimism and calorie intake/acid-producing diets were jointly associated with insomnia. For instance, women with pessimism scores in tertile 3 and total calorie intakes < median reported 2 times the odds (OR = 2.09; 95% CI [1.51–3.47]) of insomnia compared to women with pessimism score in tertile 1 and calorie intakes < median. Our results highlight the need for patient care regarding mental health, and recommendations of healthy dietary intakes for breast cancer survivors.

Psychosocial response of infertile patients to COVID-19-related delays in care at the epicenter of the global pandemic.

The aim of this study was to describe the psychosocial response of the infertile population whose care was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A web-based cross-sectional survey was administered to 117 infertile patients at our Center who had their infertility treatment delayed due to suspension of care at our hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey consisted of 52-question multiple-choice questions including the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) instruments. Characteristics of respondents who "agreed" (strongly agree and agree) that "delaying treatment has permanently impacted my chances at future conception" were compared with participants who "disagreed" (neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree) using Fischer's Exact Test. In total, 79.5% agreed that delaying treatment has permanently impacted their chances at future conception. There were no discernible demographic differences between patients who "agreed" versus "disagreed" with the above statement. The mean LOT-R score was 14.1 (5.1) with an optimism score of 6.8 (2.6) and a pessimism score of 7.3 (2.9). The mean HADS depression score was 5.4 (3.4) with 28.2% reporting scores in the borderline-abnormal to abnormal range. The mean HADS anxiety score was 9.0 (3.9) with 64.6% reporting scores in the borderline-abnormal to abnormal range. Nearly one third of respondents (36.8%) reported wanting to "expedite/be more aggressive with treatment," whereas only 5.1% wanted to postpone treatment. Women undergoing ART during the COVID-19 pandemic express significant concern and signs of distress about how delays in care affect their future reproductive potential.

Pessimism is associated with greater all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, but optimism is not protective

Scores on an optimistic-pessimistic personality scale have been associated with mortality, but optimism and pessimism scores are separable traits and it is unclear which has effects on health or longevity. The Life Orientation Test (LOT), containing items for optimism and pessimism, was included in a twin study on health of Australians aged over 50 in 1993–1995. After a mean of 20 years, participants were matched against death information from the Australian National Death Index. 1,068 out of 2,978 participants with useable LOT scores had died. Survival analysis tested for associations between separate optimism and pessimism scores and mortality from any cause, and from cancers, cardiovascular diseases or other known causes. Age-adjusted scores on the pessimism scale were associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (Hazard Ratios per 1 standard deviation unit, 95% confidence intervals and p-values 1.134, 1.065–1.207, 8.85 × 10–5 and 1.196, 1.045–1.368, 0.0093, respectively) but not with cancer deaths. Optimism scores, which were only weakly correlated with pessimism scores (age-adjusted rank correlation = − 0.176), did not show significant associations with overall or cause-specific mortality. Reverse causation (disease causing pessimism) is unlikely because in that case both cardiovascular diseases and cancers would be expected to lead to pessimism.

Are we training optimistic physicians? A cross sectional survey to measure correlates of optimism among Pakistani medical students

Background :Optimism and pessimism affect physicians’ behavior and play importantroles in shaping the future characteristics of a medical student. We carriedout the study to measure optimism and pessimism scores among medicalstudents and its association with important correlates i.e. duration of studyin medical college, gender and intended future specialty.Participants and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in GujranwalaMedical College, Pakistan. Using non-probability consecutive sampling,the data was anonymously collected from consenting 150 studentsfrom all classes (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & final year). Optimism/pessimism scorewas measured using Life Orientation Test – Revised (LOT-R). LOT-R is avalid tool containing ten items to be rated on a scale from zero to four(strongly agree to strongly disagree). Threeitems are related to optimism,three with pessimism and four are fillers only. Score in one domain canrange from zero to twelve. Higher score indicates higher value. We measuredassociation of optimism/pessimism scores with gender, specialty preference,class year and living status.Results: The mean (±SD) optimism and pessimism scores were 8.16±2.4and 5.35 ± 1.95 respectively while median scores (Q1-Q3) were 9 (7-10)and 5 (4-7). Mean age of study population was 21.6 ± 1.7 years. Majority ofthe responders (n, %) were females (116,77.3%), from fourth year class(45, 30%) and living alone away from family (107, 71.3%). Among 150 responders,99 students (66%) were planning to opt a people oriented specialtyin future. Optimism score was significantly lower among male comparedto female students (p=0.019). Pessimism scores were higher amongstudents living with their family (p=0.008). Specialty preference and year ofstudy has shown no effect on either score. (p > 0.05)Conclusion:The result showed that our medical students are optimistic.Pessimism was affected by current living status. Female students werefound more optimistic compared to their male counterparts.

Consensus Opinion Model in Online Social Networks Based on Influential Users

A framework to consensus opinion model within a networked social group is put forward. The current research in opinion formation within the groups is largely based on the opinion aggregation of each user of the network. However, the consistency of users in aggregation, social power, and the impact of each individual user of the group for opinion formation are not considered. In this paper, we investigate a consensus opinion model in social groups based on the impact of influential users and aggregation methods. In order to reach the consensus model, we aggregate the users' opinions. To maintain consistency, we propagate the opinion through the users to reach an agreement. This propagation will consider the influential users' impacts that have a crucial effect on its process. A novel method is proposed to detect the influential users and opinion propagation based on them to derive the opinion toward the networked social group. In particular, we applied optimism and pessimism scores as the users' personality to discover the influential users in the network. Considering that, we propagate the opinion based on two facts: 1) the impact of influential users, derived by the presence of an extremely confident individual in the network and 2) the impact of neighbors, induced by the presence of the users who have a connection with the current user. Then, we proposed the opinion aggregation of the group induced by the weighted averaging operator and fuzzy techniques. In order to evaluate the validity of the method, we used enormous data sets of Epinions and Etsy which are signed and unsigned, respectively.

Effects of adult attachment and life orientation on anxiety level of surgery patients

Objective To explore the effect of adult attachment and life orientation on anxiety level of surgery patients. Methods 223 patients who received surgery were recruited to complete 4 questionnaires, including the two widely used measurements of adult attachment: Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) and Experience of Close Relationship (ECR) to measure their attachment orientation; Life orientation scale (LOT-R) and Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), to assess patients’ life orientation and anxiety level. Results (1) The distributions of adult attachment measured by RQ were: 68 (38.9%) secure, 55 (31.4%) dismissing, 31 (17.7%) preoccupied, and 21 (12%) fearful. Moreover, there was no gender differences on adult attachment styles (P>0.05). (2) Secure attachment patients got lower score both on attachment avoidance (3.17±0.59) and attachment anxiety (3.37±0.86)than insecure patients; On pessimism, secure (10.37±3.45)got lower score than dismissing patients(11.85±3.89)and preoccupied (11.90±4.12), with fearful patients got highest score (12.39±3.88). Moreover, secure (46.75±9.36), and dismissing patients(46.62±120.07)got lower score than preoccupied(52.84±12.92)and Fearful (54.62±12.27) on self-rating anxiety level(all P<0.01 or P<0.05). (3) The self-rating anxiety level of surgery patients can be predicted by age, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and pessimism score positively (β=0.232, 0.277, 0.126, 0.248 respectively), and by optimism score (β=-0.125)negatively. Conclusion The self-rating anxiety level of surgery patients was related to their adult attachment, and patients’ optimism and pessimism score. Key words: Adult Attachment; Optimism; Pessimism; Anxiety Level

Optimism and Mortality in Older Men and Women: The Rancho Bernardo Study.

Purpose. To examine the associations of optimism and pessimism with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), and cancer mortality in a population-based sample of older men and women followed ≤12 years. Methods. 367 men and 509 women aged ≥50 from the Rancho Bernardo Study attended a 1999–2002 research clinic visit when demographic, behavioral, and medical history were obtained and completed a 1999 mailed survey including the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). Mortality outcomes were followed through 2012. Results. Average age at baseline was 74.1 years; during follow-up (mean = 8.1 years), 198 participants died, 62 from CVD, 22 from CHD, and 49 from cancer. Total LOT-R, optimism and pessimism scores were calculated. Participants with the highest optimism were younger and reported less alcohol use and smoking and more exercise. Cox proportional hazard models showed that higher total LOT-R and optimism, but not pessimism scores, were associated with reduced odds of CHD mortality after adjusting for age, sex, alcohol, smoking, obesity, physical exercise, and medication (HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.75, 0.99; HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.61, 0.99, resp.). No associations were found for all-cause, CVD, or cancer mortality. Conclusions. Optimism was associated with reduced CHD mortality in older men and women. The association of positive attitudes with mortality merits further study.

Prospective Pilot Investigation: Presurgical Depressive Symptom Severity and Anesthesia Response in Women Undergoing Surgery for Gynecologic Mass Removal.

Anesthesia depth has been associated with mortality. The association between anesthesia depth and presurgery physical and health status, however, is currently debated. Depression is one comorbid condition that warrants investigation given its association to reduced frontal lobe activity and high prevalence in known surgery samples (e.g., gynecologic mass removal). This pilot study examined the hypothesis that severity of acute depressive symptoms would associate with greater sensitivity to anesthesia as measured by a frontal lobe electroencephalogram (EEG)-based monitor during the anesthesia induction phase among women undergoing gynecologic mass removal. This was a prospective and surgery anesthesia-controlled pilot investigation with 31 women undergoing surgery for removal of pelvic/gynecologic masses. Participants completed the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) inventory to assess depressive-related symptomatology. A Bispectral Index Score (BIS™) monitor (Aspect Medical Systems Inc., MA) was placed on the left frontal region to measure change in response from a set pre-anesthesia baseline point throughout the induction phase (6.5 min of the anesthetic). BIS™ change was calculated using a modified "area under the curve with respect to ground" formula. Greater sensitivity to anesthesia during induction was significantly associated with higher MBMD future pessimism scores and marginally associated with higher MBMD depression scores. Depressive personality, anxiety severity, tumor type, age, medication use, and comorbidity scores were not found to be predictors of BIS score change. These pilot findings suggest that preoperative psychological health and anesthesia response are not independent. Acute presurgery depression and anesthesia response warrant closer empirical examination.

Distinct temperament and character profiles in first onset vitiligo but not in alopecia areata.

Alopecia areata (AA) and vitiligo (V) are diseases that are correlated with psychiatric disorders before, during and after diagnosis. The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) is a well-established approach for investigating personality traits in various psychosomatic diseases. The aim of this study is to compare and investigate the differences in the TCI between patients with first onset AA, patients with V and healthy controls (HC). Participants in the study included 42 patients with first onset AA, 50 adult patients with V and 60 HC who had no history or diagnoses of psychiatric or dermatological disorders. All participants were assessed with the TCI and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Among the temperament traits, the extravagance, disorderliness and total novelty-seeking scores were lower, and the worry and pessimism scores were higher in patients with V compared with patients with AA and the HC. The mean score of the enlightened second nature and the total self-directedness score of the character traits were higher in patients with V compared with patients with AA and the HC group. In the AA group, there was a negative correlation only between the reward dependence total score and the DLQI score. This study suggests that patients with first onset V have a distinct temperament, such as being unenthusiastic and unemotional, and character profiles, such as worry and pessimism, independent of their psychiatric comorbidities, and patients with AA do not have a different personality from the non-affected population.

Childhood and Adult Socioeconomic Position, Cumulative Lead Levels, and Pessimism in Later Life: The VA Normative Aging Study

Pessimism, a general tendency toward negative expectancies, is a risk factor for depression and also heart disease, stroke, and reduced cancer survival. There is evidence that individuals with higher lead exposure have poorer health. However, low socioeconomic status (SES) is linked with higher lead levels and greater pessimism, and it is unclear whether lead influences psychological functioning independently of other social factors. The authors considered interrelations among childhood and adult SES, lead levels, and psychological functioning in data collected on 412 Boston area men between 1991 and 2002 in a subgroup of the VA Normative Aging Study. Pessimism was measured by using the Life Orientation Test. Cumulative (tibia) lead was measured by x-ray fluorescence. Structural equation modeling was used to quantify the relations as mediated by childhood and adult SES, controlling for age, health behaviors, and health status. An interquartile range increase in lead quartile was associated with a 0.37 increase in pessimism score (P < 0.05). Low childhood and adult SES were related to higher tibia lead levels, and both were also independently associated with higher pessimism. Lead maintained an independent association with pessimism even after childhood and adult SES were considered. Results demonstrate an interrelated role of lead burden and SES over the life course in relation to psychological functioning in older age.

Do optimism and pessimism have different relationships with personality dimensions? A re-examination

The classic, well-cited study by Marshall et al. (1992) demonstrated that optimism correlates stronger with extraversion than does pessimism and pessimism correlates stronger with neuroticism than does optimism, and these results lent support to their claim that optimism and pessimism are two separate constructs. However, we argued that their results are likely the outcome of scale artefact caused by item valence (or item favorability). In an empirical study ( N = 1016), we evaluated the correlation of optimism scores and pessimism scores with the most common measure of optimism – Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). As expected, when item valence effect was not controlled, we replicated the finding by Marshall et al. (1992) that optimism and pessimism show differential correlations with extraversion and neuroticism. After item valence was controlled such pattern of relationships was greatly reduced. Suggestions for future research to resolve the dimensionality debate for optimism–pessimism are discussed.

Impact of temperament on depression and anxiety symptoms and depressive disorder in a population-based birth cohort

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to characterize at the population level how innate features of temperament relate to experience of depressive mood and anxiety, and whether these symptoms have separable temperamental backgrounds. MethodsThe study subjects were 4773 members of the population-based Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, a culturally and genetically homogeneous study sample. Temperament was measured at age 31 using the temperament items of the Temperament and Character Inventory and a separate Pessimism score. Depressive mood was assessed based on a previous diagnosis of depressive disorder or symptoms of depression according to the Hopkins Symptom Check List – 25. Anxiety was assessed analogously. ResultsHigh levels of Harm avoidance and Pessimism were related to both depressive mood (effect sizes; d=0.84 and d=1.25, respectively) and depressive disorder (d=0.68 and d=0.68, respectively). Of the dimensions of Harm avoidance, Anticipatory worry and Fatigability had the strongest effects. Symptoms of depression and anxiety showed very similar underlying temperament patterns. LimitationsAlthough Harm avoidance and Pessimism appear to be important endophenotype candidates for depression and anxiety, their potential usefulness as endophenotypes, and whether they meet all the suggested criteria for endophenotypes will remain to be confirmed in future studies. ConclusionsPersonality characteristics of Pessimism and Harm avoidance, in particular its dimensions Anticipatory worry and Fatigability, are strongly related to symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as to depressive disorder in this population. These temperamental features may be used as dimensional susceptibility factors in etiological studies of depression, which may aid in the development of improved clinical practice.

Relief as a Reward: Hedonic and Neural Responses to Safety from Pain

Relief fits the definition of a reward. Unlike other reward types the pleasantness of relief depends on the violation of a negative expectation, yet this has not been investigated using neuroimaging approaches. We hypothesized that the degree of negative expectation depends on state (dread) and trait (pessimism) sensitivity. Of the brain regions that are involved in mediating pleasure, the nucleus accumbens also signals unexpected reward and positive prediction error. We hypothesized that accumbens activity reflects the level of negative expectation and subsequent pleasant relief. Using fMRI and two purpose-made tasks, we compared hedonic and BOLD responses to relief with responses during an appetitive reward task in 18 healthy volunteers. We expected some similarities in task responses, reflecting common neural substrates implicated across reward types. However, we also hypothesized that relief responses would differ from appetitive rewards in the nucleus accumbens, since only relief pleasantness depends on negative expectations. The results confirmed these hypotheses. Relief and appetitive reward task activity converged in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which also correlated with appetitive reward pleasantness ratings. In contrast, dread and pessimism scores correlated with relief but not with appetitive reward hedonics. Moreover, only relief pleasantness covaried with accumbens activation. Importantly, the accumbens signal appeared to specifically reflect individual differences in anticipation of the adverse event (dread, pessimism) but was uncorrelated to appetitive reward hedonics. In conclusion, relief differs from appetitive rewards due to its reliance on negative expectations, the violation of which is reflected in relief-related accumbens activation.

Relationship of Optimism–Pessimism and Health-Related Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors

ABSTRACT Few studies have investigated the influence of optimism–pessimism in breast cancer survivors. This study used a retrospective design with 268 adult women who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) as part of their medical care approximately 10 years prior to their breast cancer diagnosis and Medical Outcome Study Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36 or SF-12), on average, 8 years after diagnosis. MMPI pessimism scores were divided into quartiles, and t tests were used to determine differences between those highest and lowest in pessimism on health-related quality-of-life (QOL) measures, demographics, and disease status. The mean age at diagnosis of breast cancer was 63 years, and 74% had early-stage breast cancer. Patients age 65 years and older were significantly lower on physical health–related QOL scales. There were no significant differences in health-related QOL scores by stage of disease. Patients with a pessimistic explanatory style were significantly lower on all of the health-related QOL scores, compared to those with a nonpessimistic style. Breast cancer survivors who exhibit a pessimistic explanatory style report lower health-related QOL for years after receiving a cancer diagnosis, compared to nonpessimistic women.

Pessimism and hostility scores as predictors of patient satisfaction ratings by medical out‐patients

The purpose of this research is to determine whether a pessimistic or hostile personality style adversely affects satisfaction with out-patient medical visits. Many patient and health care provider demographic characteristics have been related to patient satisfaction with a health care encounter, but little has been written about the association between patients' personality characteristics and their satisfaction ratings. An eight-item patient satisfaction survey was completed by 11,636 randomly selected medical out-patients two to three months after their episode of care. Of these, 1259 had previously completed a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The association of pessimism and hostility scores with patient satisfaction ratings was assessed. Among patients who scored high on the pessimism scale, 59 percent rated overall care by their physicians as excellent, while 72 percent with scores in the optimistic range rated it as excellent (p = 0.003). Among the hostile patients, 57 percent rated their overall care by physicians as excellent, while 66 percent of the least hostile patients rated it as excellent (p = 0.002). Pessimistic or hostile patients were significantly less likely to rate their overall care as excellent than optimistic or non-hostile patients.

Optimistic attitudes protect against progression of carotid atherosclerosis in healthy middle-aged women.

Optimistic people report a higher quality of life, engage in more active coping and adopt more health-promoting behaviors than people low in optimism, ie, pessimism. We evaluated whether pessimists are more likely to show progression in carotid disease than optimists. A total of 209 middle-aged healthy premenopausal women enrolled in an epidemiological study of cardiovascular risk factors and had carotid scans 10.4 years and 13.5 years later when they were at least 5 years postmenopausal. Women completed the Life Orientation Test (LOT), a measure of pessimistic and optimistic attitudes, at study entry and at the time of the first carotid scan. Analyses evaluated the association of LOT scores and change in carotid intima medial thickness (IMT) across 3 years. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the higher the pessimism scores at study entry, the greater the increase in mean IMT (beta = 0.17, p <.007). A comparison of those in the lowest quartile of LOT scores (most optimistic) with those in the other three quartiles showed that the most optimistic group had less progression than the remaining more pessimistic women (mean percent increase = 1.3 and 6.0 for mean IMT, F = 15.4, p <.001). Women who were chronically optimistic at study entry and at the first carotid scan (bottom quartiles at both times) had less progression in mean IMT than did those who were chronically pessimistic (top quartiles at both times). Optimistic women are less likely to show progression of carotid disease in mid-life than are pessimists.

Associations among job satisfaction, optimism, pessimism, and psychosomatic symptoms for employees in the government sector in Kuwait.

The present study examined associations among job satisfaction and optimism, pessimism, and psychosomatic symptoms in a sample of 718 Kuwaiti employees (350 men and 368 women). Men scored significantly higher than women on both the scales of Job Satisfaction and Optimism, while women scored significantly higher than men on both scales for Pessimism and Psychosomatic Symptoms. Job satisfaction scores correlated significantly and positively with Optimism scores and negatively with Pessimism scores. There was also a significant negative correlation between scores on Optimism and Pessimism, and a significant negative correlation between scores on Optimism and Psychosomatic symptoms. Results were discussed within the Kuwaiti context.

Dispositional pessimism and amygdala activity: a PET study in healthy volunteers.

The present study used scores from Seligman's Attribution Style Questionnaire and [15O] water positron emission tomographic measurements of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to investigate the relation between individual differences in dispositional pessimism and amygdala activity. During scanning 13 healthy non-snake-phobic females passively viewed a snake videotape. Using one-tailed tests, significant negative correlations were evident between pessimism scores, with low scores reflecting relatively more pessimism, and right (r=-0.60; p=0.014) and left amygdala rCBF (r=-0.53; p=0.032). These results extend previous neuroimaging findings in healthy subjects indicating a role for the amygdala in transient negative emotional states, and suggest that this multimodal brain region also is involved in more durable negative affects such as dispositional pessimism.