-
Nursing Leadership (Toronto, Ont.) Sep 2020In the 1958 musical South Pacific, the character Nelly Forbush trills a song of optimism and hope amid the darkness of World War II (South Pacific Enterprises and Logan...
In the 1958 musical South Pacific, the character Nelly Forbush trills a song of optimism and hope amid the darkness of World War II (South Pacific Enterprises and Logan 1958). The chipper message of this fictional navy nurse might well be welcome amid the negative timbre of the pervasive political, cultural and societal upheaval that we are experiencing today - not to mention the burden of a global pandemic. The tune delivers the message of a so-called "cockeyed optimist," staying positive while many are not and being buoyed by the anticipation of brighter, sunny days ahead (South Pacific Enterprises and Logan 1958). COVID-19 has unloaded countless blows to virtually every aspect of the life we once knew; surely, this is enough to leave any cockeyed optimist reeling. Where do we find the strength of character to prevail during times like this? Somehow, good leaders do; finding creativity, courage and conviction to make the most of a bad situation, they rise above it. They show optimism in the face of fear, the unknown and circumstances beyond their control. Instilling abiding trust in their followers, they lead out of the abyss, shining light on new possibilities and opportunities.
Topics: COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Nurse Administrators; Optimism; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral
PubMed: 33097098
DOI: 10.12927/cjnl.2020.26326 -
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology Jan 2021
Topics: Dermatology; Humans; Optimism; Periodicals as Topic; Societies, Medical; Uncertainty
PubMed: 33342504
DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2020.11.003 -
International Journal of Environmental... Nov 2021Over the last 20 years, the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for the development of the well-being of children and adolescents and the moderation of... (Review)
Review
Over the last 20 years, the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for the development of the well-being of children and adolescents and the moderation of high levels of anxiety and depression in this population has been largely demonstrated. Emphasis has been placed on the promotion of well-being and prevention of mental health problems in the school context in order to foster, through positive psychology, the cognitive and socio-emotional development of primary and secondary students, e.g., by strengthening positive relationships, positive emotions, character strengths, optimism, and hope. However, little is known about the impact of these interventions on young children. This systematic review aims at examining the effects of positive psychology interventions on the well-being of early childhood children (<6 years old), both in the preschool education context with educators or teachers and also in the family context with parents. Several electronic databases were searched, and the findings systematically reviewed and reported by the PRISMA guidelines. Very few studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 3), highlighting the need for further research in this area. Indeed, all of the selected studies demonstrated the importance of positive psychology interventions with young children to promote positive aspects of development, such as gratitude, positive emotions, life satisfaction, accomplishment, positive relationship, or self-esteem. Limitations in the field are discussed.
Topics: Adolescent; Anxiety; Child; Child, Preschool; Emotions; Humans; Optimism; Psychology, Positive; Self Concept
PubMed: 34831827
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182212065 -
The American Journal of Sports Medicine Oct 2020
Topics: Athletic Injuries; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Optimism; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral
PubMed: 32997529
DOI: 10.1177/0363546520960100 -
The Lancet. Rheumatology Feb 2024Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a group of autoimmune diseases with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations, primarily characterised by immune-mediated muscle... (Review)
Review
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a group of autoimmune diseases with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations, primarily characterised by immune-mediated muscle injury. Until recently, there was little insight into the pathogenesis of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, which challenged the recognition of the breadth of heterogeneity of this group of diseases as well as the development of new therapeutics. However, the landscape of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies is evolving. In the past decade, advances in diagnostic tools have facilitated an enhanced understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, enabling the expansion of therapeutic trials. The fields of transcriptomics, prot§eomics, and machine learning offer the potential to gain greater insights into the underlying pathophysiology of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Harnessing insights gained from these sophisticated tools could contribute to the identification of differences at a molecular level among patients, accelerating the development of targeted, tailored therapies. Bolstered by the validation and standardisation of robust outcome measures, many promising therapies are in clinical trial development. Although challenges remain, there is great optimism in the field due to the progress in innovative diagnostics, outcome measures, and therapeutic approaches. In this Review, we discuss the expanding landscape of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies as the frontier of precision medicine becomes imminent.
Topics: Humans; Myositis; Autoimmune Diseases; Gene Expression Profiling; Machine Learning; Optimism
PubMed: 38267098
DOI: 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00322-3 -
American Journal of Surgery Jul 2020Unsustainable surgeon burnout rates and moral imperatives for performance improvement suggest an urgent need to understand and apply rationales and methods for... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Unsustainable surgeon burnout rates and moral imperatives for performance improvement suggest an urgent need to understand and apply rationales and methods for cultivating grit and optimism in surgery.
DATA SOURCES
Embase, MEDLINE, and PubMed articles.
CONCLUSIONS
Passivity in response to negative events is the default human response, but the presence of control activates the prefrontal cortex-the brain region controlling executive function-promoting effort toward solutions. Challenges, failures, and traumatic events perceived as inescapable, permanent, pervasive, and irreparable lead to debility and attrition; grit and optimism shift the human response toward growth, strength, and improved performance. Methods for realizing these advantages include maintaining positivity, pursuing major challenges that match personal skills, engaging in deliberate practice to improve skills, persisting in hard work, and pursuing higher meaning and purpose in work and life. Grit and optimism are difficult to teach; selecting gritty, optimistic surgical residency applicants may also be effective.
Topics: Burnout, Professional; Defense Mechanisms; Humans; Internship and Residency; Optimism; Resilience, Psychological
PubMed: 32098653
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.01.057 -
World Neurosurgery Nov 2021
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Optimism
PubMed: 34724751
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.08.082 -
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Jul 2020
Topics: Humans; Medicine; Optimism; Physicians; State Medicine; United Kingdom
PubMed: 32663434
DOI: 10.1177/0141076820933862 -
Health Psychology : Official Journal of... Mar 2022Research on older adults often focuses on mitigating health risks, and less is known about protective factors that contribute to longer, healthier lives. We examine...
OBJECTIVES
Research on older adults often focuses on mitigating health risks, and less is known about protective factors that contribute to longer, healthier lives. We examine longitudinal associations between psychological well-being and mortality among a national sample of older adults and test competing hypotheses about whether the education/mortality association depends on the level of psychological well-being.
METHOD
We use six waves (2006-2016) of the Health and Retirement Study, a national sample of adults over age 50 ( = 21,172), with 14 years of mortality follow-up. Psychological well-being is measured up to three times and includes positive affect, life satisfaction, purpose in life, social support, and optimism. Discrete-time survival models examine (a) the association between time-varying psychological well-being and mortality, and (b) interactions between psychological well-being and education on mortality.
RESULTS
Higher purpose in life, positive affect, optimism, social support, and life satisfaction predicted lower mortality. A 1 increase in most measures of psychological well-being was associated with a 2-4 year increase in life expectancy at age 50. Positive affect and purpose in life moderated the education/mortality association-the inverse association between education and mortality was stronger for those with high psychological well-being.
CONCLUSIONS
We find strong evidence that psychological well-being predicts lower mortality risk and modifies the association between education and mortality. The inverse association between education and mortality becomes stronger at higher levels of purpose in life and positive affect. Therefore, efforts to promote life satisfaction, social support, and optimism may support longer lives without widening education disparities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Aged; Educational Status; Humans; Middle Aged; Optimism; Retirement; Social Support
PubMed: 35157480
DOI: 10.1037/hea0001159 -
Current Cardiology Reports Oct 2021Does optimism contribute to superior cardiovascular health? We examined prospective studies investigating the connections between optimism and cardiovascular health and... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Does optimism contribute to superior cardiovascular health? We examined prospective studies investigating the connections between optimism and cardiovascular health and examining the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may mediate such connections.
RECENT FINDINGS
Optimism, independent of sociodemographic, medical, and negative psychological factors, has been prospectively associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and lower rates of cardiac and all-cause mortality. The mechanisms by which optimism may prevent cardiovascular disease remain unclear, but one mechanism may be through health behaviors. Indeed, optimism has been linked with physical activity, healthy diet, and smoking cessation, all of which are associated with better cardiovascular health. Additional studies are needed to: (1) understand the relationships between more dynamic measures of optimism and health outcomes, (2) delineate the mechanisms underlying the relationships between optimism and cardiovascular health, and (3) assess the potential for interventions to modify optimism.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Health Behavior; Humans; Optimism; Prospective Studies; Protective Factors
PubMed: 34599386
DOI: 10.1007/s11886-021-01590-4