Variance In Positive Affect Research Articles

Effects of Optimism, Social Support, Fighting Spirit, Cancer Worry and Internal Health Locus of Control on Positive Affect in Cancer Survivors: A Path Analysis

The psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis can extend through treatment, well into cancer survivorship and can be influenced by a range of psychosocial resources. At different stages in this trajectory, optimism is known to affect well-being directly. This study focusing upon the potential to flourish after cancer, investigates the relationship between optimism and positive affect during cancer survivorship together with four possible mediators: social support, fighting spirit, internal health locus of control and cancer worry, all of which have been shown to be important predictors of well-being in cancer patients. Participants (n = 102) from online cancer forums completed standardized questionnaires, and path analysis confirmed that optimism had a direct effect on positive affect in cancer survivors. Social support and fighting spirit were also shown to be significant mediators of this relationship, accounting collectively for 50% of the variance in positive affect. Whilst cancer worry and internal health locus of control could be predicted from levels of optimism, they did not mediate the optimism-positive affect relationship. Efforts to promote optimism and thus encourage fighting spirit at diagnosis through treatment may be worthwhile interventions, as would ensuring appropriate social support through the trajectory.

Deconstructing the familiality of variability in momentary negative and positive affect

The daily life, affective phenotypes of momentary negative affect (NA), positive affect (PA) variability and NA variability are associated with future depressive symptomatology. This study investigates the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to the inter-individual differences in these daily life, affective phenotypes. Two hundred and seventy-nine female twins from the Flemish (Belgium) general population participated in an experience sampling study measuring affect in daily life. Structural equation modelling was used to fit univariate and bivariate models. Genetic factors explained, respectively, 18%, 18% and 35% of the inter-individual differences in momentary NA, PA variability and NA variability. Non-shared environmental factors were found to explain the remaining inter-individual variation. In addition, 41% of the association between positive and NA variability was attributed to shared genetic factors. Results of this study show that daily life patterns of affective expression are subject to substantial environmental influence. Prospective assessments of the effect of interventions on these expressions may therefore represent a powerful tool to prevent transition from subclinical depressive symptomatology to a clinical outcome or to reduce symptomatology in those with clinical depression.

Positive Automatic Cognitions Mediate the Relationship Between Personality and Trait Positive Affect

Positive affect (PA) has emerged as a key well-being facet and a powerful predictor of physical and psychological well-being. One of the strongest predictors of PA is personality, particularly neuroticism and extraversion. However, the mechanisms via which personality affects PA are not well-understood. Consistent with theories that accord cognitive factors a role in mediating the relationship between personality and outcomes, we tested whether positive automatic thoughts (PATs) mediated the relationship between neuroticism, extraversion, and PA among 199 college students (137 women, 70% White, 66% first and second year students, mean age = 24.13, SD = 8.86). Consistent with hypotheses, structural equation modeling indicated that PATs fully mediated the relationship between both neuroticism and extraversion and PA. The structural model fit the data well, χ2/df = 2.33, CFI = .96, SRMR = .07, RMSEA = .08 (90% CI: .06, .10), AIC = 172.45, and accounted for 58% of the variance in PA. An alternative model in which personality predicted PA, which in turn predicted PATs, did not provide as good a fit to the data, χ2/df = 3.03, CFI = .94, SRMR = .09, RMSEA = .10 (90% CI: .08, .12), AIC = 207.40. Models in which negative automatic thoughts (NATs) were construed as fully [χ2/df = 4.46, CFI = .95, SRMR = .08, RMSEA = .13 (90% CI: .11, .16)] or partially [χ2/df = 4.04, CFI = .96, SRMR = .06, RMSEA = .12 (90% CI: .10, .15)] mediating the relationship between neuroticism and negative affect did not provide a good fit to the data. A final model in which negative affect was tested a mediator of the relationship between neuroticism and NATs also did not fit the data well, χ2/df = 4.03, CFI = .96, SRMR = .07, RMSEA = .12 (90% CI: .10, .15).

Neuroticism explained? From a non-informative vulnerability marker to informative person-context interactions in the realm of daily life

Despite the well-replicated finding that neuroticism is associated with increased susceptibility for psychopathology, it remains unclear what 'vulnerability as indexed by neuroticism' represents in terms of everyday life emotional processes. This study examined the association between neuroticism and six phenotypes of daily life emotional responses: positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), PA variability, NA variability, stress sensitivity, and reward experience, and investigated the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to these associations. A prospective cohort study in a population-based sample of 416 adult female twins. A momentary assessment approach (experience sampling method) was used to collect multiple assessments of affect in daily life. Neuroticism was assessed with the Eysenck Personality Scale. Multi-level regression analyses were carried out to examine the association between neuroticism and the phenotypes of daily life emotional responses. Cross-twin, cross-trait analyses, and bivariate structural equation modelling (SEM) were performed in order to investigate the nature of these associations. A high neuroticism score was associated with lower momentary PA levels and increased NA variability, independent of momentary NA, PA variability, stress sensitivity, and reward experience. Both the cross-twin, cross-trait analyses, and the bivariate SEM showed that unique, non-shared environmental factors drive the association between neuroticism and PA and that the association between neuroticism and increased NA variability is based on shared genetic factors as well as individual-specific environmental factors. Neuroticism as measured by Eysenck questionnaire may index an environmental risk for decreased daily life PA levels and a genetic as well as an environmental risk for increased NA variability. Decomposing the broad measure of neuroticism into measurable persons-context interactions increases its 'informative' value in explaining psychopathology.

Self-Focused Attention, Meaning, and Posttraumatic Growth: The Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Affect for Bereaved Women

This study examined the mediating impact of positive and negative affect on the relationship between two distinct self-focusing tendencies (i.e., reflection and rumination) and meaning and posttraumatic growth among bereaved women. Supporting the study hypotheses, positive affect mediated the relationship between self-focusing tendencies and both meaning and posttraumatic growth. Reflection and rumination also had indirect effects on meaning through negative affect. The study model accounted for 25% of the variance in positive affect, 31% of the variance in negative affect, 43% of the variance in PTG, and 58% of the variance in meaning. These findings underlined the importance of intellectual self-reflection and positive affect in fostering personal growth and adjustment of bereaved women. Results and implications of the findings are discussed in the light of existing literature on bereavement and self-focusing tendencies.

Personality and Subjective Well-Being: What Hides Behind Global Analyses?

The relation between personality and subjective well-being (SWB) remains involved in a considerable ambiguity and the numerous studies conducted have neglected an approach at a more detailed level of analysis. This study explores the idea that neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness facets predict differentially each SWB component. A battery of self-report questionnaires was used to assess personality and SWB in 398 teachers of primary and high schools. Findings of a cross-sectional study showed that neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness facets contributed to significantly explain the variance in positive affect, negative affect and life satisfaction. Moreover, these facets predicted differentially each of the three SWB components. At same time, this study corroborates two important premises: the specificity of facets as discrete traits and the independence of the three SWB components.

Intraindividual variability in positive and negative affect over 45 days: Do older adults fluctuate less than young adults?

Opposing scenarios about age-related increases and decreases in intraindividual variability are found in the literature: Whereas accumulating evidence indicates that cognitive functioning is characterized by an age-related increase of short-term variability, age-related decreases in variability could be expected in affective states on the basis of theories of emotion regulation and self development. We examined age differences in intraindividual variability of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) and in contingencies among daily affect, daily stress, and daily events using up to 45 daily assessments of 18 young (20-30 years) and 19 older (70-80 years) adults. Whereas age groups differed little in average affect levels, older adults showed significantly less variability in PA and NA than young adults. Age differences accounted for greater variance in variability than personality factors. Multilevel modeling indicated that for young but not older adults, PA was higher (lower) on days with a positive (negative) event, and NA was lower on days with a positive event. There were no age differences in daily affect reactivity to appraised stress severity.

Effects of oral contraceptives on daily self-ratings of positive and negative affect

Objectives: The relationship between affect and duration of oral contraceptive (OC) use was investigated. Method: Ninety-six women (17 first-time OC users, 34 long-time users, and 45 never-users) completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) daily for 35 days. This study was the first to examine positive affect variability; and personal family psychiatric history; and to compare early-, late-, and never-users of OCs. Results: Triphasic users experienced greater variability in positive affect across the cycle, likely due to the variable hormone levels. Withdrawal of a constant level of hormones (monophasics) during early use was associated with greater variability in positive affect than withdrawal of changing hormonal levels (triphasics). Furthermore, personal and family psychiatric history may mediate an effect of OCs on negative affect variability. Conclusions: OCs and, therefore, hormones can alter day-to-day affect variability. Four variables are associated with this effect: duration of use, OC type, personal psychiatric history, and family psychiatric history.

Structure and variation of mood in individuals with Parkinson's disease: a dynamic factor analysis.

Mood structure was examined among individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Twelve individuals completed a measure of positive and negative affect for 70 consecutive days. Mood structure was determined by using dynamic factor analysis (DFA) models that account for both concurrent and lagged relationships in repeated measurements. Five individuals had sufficient variability in positive and negative affect to conduct DFA on both sets of variables. Results showed the presence of 2 2-factor 1-lag models, 2 1-factor 1-lag models, and a P-technique model. There was sufficient variability in positive affect to conduct DFA on positive affect for the entire sample. Two individuals displayed 2-factor 1-lag models, 6 individuals had 1-factor 1-lag models, and 4 individuals showed P-technique models. Implications of lagged relationships are discussed from substantive and methodological perspectives.

Structure and variation of mood in individuals with Parkinson's disease: A dynamic factor analysis.

Mood structure was examined among individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Twelve individuals completed a measure of positive and negative affect for 70 consecutive days. Mood structure was determined by using dynamic factor analysis (DFA) models that account for both concurrent and lagged relationships in repeated measurements. Five individuals had sufficient variability in positive and negative affect to conduct DFA on both sets of variables. Results showed the presence of 2 2-factor 1-lag models, 2 1-factor 1-lag models, and a P-technique model. There was sufficient variability in positive affect to conduct DFA on positive affect for the entire sample. Two individuals displayed 2-factor 1-lag models, 6 individuals had 1-factor 1-lag models, and 4 individuals showed P-technique models. Implications of lagged relationships are discussed from substantive and methodological perspectives.

Affective states in normal and depressed older people.

Ratings on a 10-item affect checklist yielding composite positive affect and negative affect scores were made daily for 30 days by older people in residential care: 19 were diagnosed as having major depression, 21 had minor depression, and 37 were without psychiatric diagnosis ("normal"). Mean levels of positive affect were highest in normal people and least in those with major depression; negative affect was lowest in normal ones and highest in those with a major depression. Variability was least among those with major depression in positive affect and among normal people in negative affect, while residents with minor depression showed some tendency, although inconsistent, toward greater day-to-day variability in positive affect. Patterns of invariance were such that those with major depression tended to be consistently lacking in positive affect but were variable in negative affect; normal people showed variability in positive affect but a relatively unvarying lack of negative affect. Clinical major depression was thus characterized less by "pervasive" depressive affect than by anhedonia.

The Psychological Well-Being of Older, Recent Widows

The impact of husband's death on the psychological well-being of 226 older widows was examined. Respondents were 60 to 89 years of age and had been widowed from 7 to 21 months at the time of interview. Using multiple regression analysis it was determined that 19 selected variables accounted for approximately 22% of the variance in positive affect and 18% of the variance in negative affect. Higher levels of positive affect were related to widows' religious involvement, number of siblings, and support from children and their families. Negative affect was more often associated with other deaths (in addition to that of husband), housing dissatisfaction, and a history of employment outside the home during marriage. Additional research is called for in light of the increasing numbers and potential vulnerabilities of older women who are recently widowed.