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Memory (Hove, England) Oct 2022The initial waves of the coronavirus pandemic amplified feelings of depression, psychological fatigue and pessimism for the future. Past research suggests that nostalgia...
The initial waves of the coronavirus pandemic amplified feelings of depression, psychological fatigue and pessimism for the future. Past research suggests that nostalgia helps to repair negative moods by boosting current and future-oriented positive affect, thereby strengthening psychological resilience. Accordingly, the present study investigated whether nostalgia moderated the relationship between pandemic experience and individual differences in mood and optimism. Across two studies we assessed psychosocial self-report data from a total of 293 online participants (22-72 years old; mean age 38; 109 females, 184 males) during the first two waves of the pandemic. Participants completed comprehensive questionnaires that probed state and trait characteristics related to mood and memory, such as the Profile of Mood States, Nostalgia Inventory and State Optimism Measure. Our findings indicate that during the initial wave of coronavirus cases, higher levels of nostalgia buffered against deteriorating mood states associated with concern over the pandemic. Nostalgia also boosted optimism for participants experiencing negative mood, and optimism predicted subjective mood improvement one week later. This shielding effect of nostalgia on optimism was replicated during the second wave of coronavirus cases. The present findings support the role of nostalgia in promoting emotional homeostasis and resilience during periods of psychological distress.
Topics: Adult; Affect; Aged; COVID-19; Emotions; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Optimism; Pandemics; Young Adult
PubMed: 35642595
DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2082481 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series B,... Aug 2022Growing evidence supports optimism as a health asset, yet how optimism influences well-being and health remains uncertain. We evaluated 1 potential pathway-the...
OBJECTIVES
Growing evidence supports optimism as a health asset, yet how optimism influences well-being and health remains uncertain. We evaluated 1 potential pathway-the association of optimism with daily stress processes-and tested 2 hypotheses. The stressor exposure hypothesis posits that optimism would preserve emotional well-being by limiting exposure to daily stressors. The buffering hypothesis posits that higher optimism would be associated with lower emotional reactivity to daily stressors and more effective emotional recovery from them.
METHODS
Participants were 233 men from the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Revised Optimism-Pessimism scale in 1986/1991 and participated in up to three 8-day daily diary bursts in 2002-2010 (age at first burst: M = 76.7, SD = 6.5). Daily stressor occurrence, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were assessed nightly. We evaluated the hypotheses using multilevel structural equation models.
RESULTS
Optimism was unrelated to emotional reactivity to or recovery from daily stressors. Higher optimism was associated with higher average daily PA (B = 2.31, 95% Bayesian credible interval [BCI]: 1.24, 3.38) but not NA, independent of stressor exposure. Lower stressor exposure mediated the association of higher optimism with lower daily NA (indirect effect: B = -0.27, 95% BCI: -0.50, -0.09), supporting the stressor exposure hypothesis.
DISCUSSION
Findings from a sample of older men suggest that optimism may be associated with more favorable emotional well-being in later life through differences in stressor exposure rather than emotional stress response. Optimism may preserve emotional well-being among older adults by engaging emotion regulation strategies that occur relatively early in the emotion-generative process.
Topics: Affect; Aged; Aging; Bayes Theorem; Emotions; Humans; Male; Optimism; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 35255123
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac025 -
Supportive Care in Cancer : Official... Nov 2022To examine the association between dispositional optimism and all-cause mortality after esophageal cancer surgery and whether pathological tumor stage and the COVID-19...
PURPOSE
To examine the association between dispositional optimism and all-cause mortality after esophageal cancer surgery and whether pathological tumor stage and the COVID-19 pandemic modified this association.
METHODS
This nationwide, population-based prospective cohort study included 335 patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery in Sweden between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2019. Dispositional optimism was measured 1 year post-surgery using Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). A higher LOT-R sum score represents higher dispositional optimism. Mortality information was obtained from the Swedish Register of the Total Population. All patients were followed up until death or until December 31, 2020, whichever occurred first. Cox regression with adjustments for confounders was used.
RESULTS
The median follow-up was 20.8 months, during which 125 (37.3%) patients died. Among the included 335 patients, 219 (65.4%) patients had tumor pathologically staged Tis-II, and 300 (89.6%) patients entered the cohort before the COVID-19 pandemic. Both tumor stage and the COVID-19 pandemic were effect modifiers. For each unit increase in LOT-R sum score, the risk of all-cause mortality decreased by 11% (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.98) among patients with tumor staged Tis-II before the COVID-19 pandemic. This association was non-significant in patients with tumor staged III-IV (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.07) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.25).
CONCLUSION
Assessing dispositional optimism may help predict postoperative survival, especially for patients with early and intermediate esophageal cancer. Increasing dispositional optimism might be a potential intervention target to improve survival after esophageal cancer surgery.
Topics: Humans; Cohort Studies; Prospective Studies; COVID-19; Pandemics; Optimism; Esophageal Neoplasms
PubMed: 35953730
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-022-07311-z -
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B Mar 2023The 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...
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.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Pessimism; Epilepsy; Conversion Disorder; Personality; Drug Resistant Epilepsy; Seizures; Optimism; Electroencephalography
PubMed: 36736238
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109094 -
PloS One 2022Prior work indicates a robust relationship between coffee consumption and lower depression risk, yet no research has examined links with psychological well-being (e.g.,...
OBJECTIVE
Prior work indicates a robust relationship between coffee consumption and lower depression risk, yet no research has examined links with psychological well-being (e.g., happiness, optimism). This study tested whether coffee intake is prospectively associated with greater psychological well-being over time. Secondarily, associations in the reverse direction were also examined to determine whether initial levels of psychological well-being were related to subsequent coffee consumption.
METHODS
Among women in the Nurses' Health Study, coffee consumption was examined in 1990 and 2002 in relation to sustained levels of happiness reported across multiple assessments from 1992-2000 (N = 44,449) and sustained levels of optimism assessed from 2004-2012 (N = 36,729). Associations were tested using generalized estimating equations with a Poisson distribution adjusted for various relevant covariates. Bidirectional relationships were evaluated in secondary analyses of baseline happiness (1992) and optimism (2004) with sustained moderate coffee consumption across multiple assessments through 2010.
RESULTS
Compared to minimal coffee consumption levels (<1 cup/day), moderate consumption (1-3 cups/day) was unrelated to happiness, whereas heavy consumption (≥4 cups/day) was associated with a 3% lower likelihood of sustained happiness (relative risk, RR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.95-0.99). Only moderate coffee consumption was weakly associated with a greater likelihood of sustained optimism (RR1-3cups/day = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.00-1.06). Secondary analyses showed high levels of optimism but not happiness levels were modestly associated with increased likelihood of sustained moderate coffee intake (RRoptimism = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02-1.10; RRhappiness = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.99-1.04).
CONCLUSIONS
Associations between psychological well-being and coffee consumption over up to two decades were largely null or weak. Although coffee consumption may protect individuals against depression over time, it may have limited impact on facets of psychological well-being.
Topics: Coffee; Female; Humans; Optimism; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35679227
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267500 -
Nutrition Research (New York, N.Y.) Jul 2022Legumes are a traditional healthy staple food in Latin America, with great potential for use in diet-related chronic disease prevention interventions. This study aimed...
Legumes are a traditional healthy staple food in Latin America, with great potential for use in diet-related chronic disease prevention interventions. This study aimed to investigate attitudes about legume consumption and associations with dietary intake. Adult participants from the Puerto Rico Assessment of Diet, Lifestyle, and Diseases, who completed a validated food frequency questionnaire and a legumes questionnaire (n = 229) were included. A 25-item Likert scale was used to assess agreement with stated attitudes regarding legumes consumption. Exploratory factor analysis produced 3 factors: (1) taste and perceived benefits; (2) barriers and negative attitudes; and (3) social support and cultural beliefs. A combined attitudes scale was computed, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward legumes. Adjusted linear regression models examined associations between each factor and the combined scale with legumes intake, rice intake, and ratio of legumes to rice intake. Significant positive associations were observed for the taste and perceived benefits factor (β = 0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07-0.21) and the social support and cultural beliefs factor (β = 0.14; 95% CI, 0.07-0.22) with legume intake. The social support and cultural beliefs factor was also associated with a higher ratio of legumes to rice intake (β = 1.59; 95% CI, 0.04-3.14). A 3-unit increase in the combined attitudes scale (corresponding to 1 additional positive attitude) was associated with a 0.03 (95% CI, 0.01-0.05) higher servings/day legume intake. The barriers and negative attitudes factor was inversely associated with rice intake (β = -0.10; 95% CI, -0.02 to -0.17) and positively associated with ratio of legumes to rice intake (β = 1.55; 95% CI, 0.03-3.07). Nutritional programs to increase legume intake as a healthy staple food among Puerto Ricans and Hispanic/Latino populations should emphasize building positive attitudes, especially those related to taste, perceived benefits, social support, and cultural beliefs, while diminishing barriers and negative attitudes.
Topics: Adult; Diet; Fabaceae; Humans; Optimism; Puerto Rico; Vegetables
PubMed: 35453043
DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2022.03.006 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2022The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic (and its consequences, such as lockdown and public health regimes) was a novel and stressful situation for most of people, and, as such,...
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic (and its consequences, such as lockdown and public health regimes) was a novel and stressful situation for most of people, and, as such, it significantly affected both cognitive and emotional functioning of individuals. In our study, we explored unrealistic optimism bias (the cognitive error giving people a feeling of invulnerability) and any declared preventive behaviours undertaken in order to minimise the risk of contagion. We also measured twelve specific emotions (differing in valence and origin) and the feeling of the anxiety caused by the coronavirus. The results allowed us to confirm the occurrence of unrealistic optimism bias (being significantly stronger for men than women), which correlated negatively with the declared number of preventive behaviours. Unrealistic optimism was also positively correlated with negative automatic emotions and negatively correlated with positive reflective emotions. We created models accounting for the variance of general anxiety, finding significant predictors for both separate groups of younger and older adults (negative emotions, both automatic and reflective; and preventive behaviours). However, there was an effect of positive emotions (both automatic and reflective) having a protective role from the feeling of general anxiety, which was significant for the older group only. Our findings may be a valuable cue for coping with crisis situations.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Aged; COVID-19; Pandemics; Communicable Disease Control; Emotions; Anxiety; Optimism
PubMed: 36612623
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010301 -
European Journal of Obstetrics,... May 2020To ascertain the strength of association between dispositional optimism, assessed with the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), and obstetrical outcomes, and to...
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the strength of association between dispositional optimism, assessed with the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), and obstetrical outcomes, and to evaluate women's social characteristics that may lead to low dispositional optimism during pregnancy.
STUDY DESIGN
The research was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Cochrane Database, and ClinicalTrial.gov as electronic databases. The articles were identified with the use of a combination of the relevant heading term, key words, and word variants for: "optimism" or "happiness" and "pregnancy" or "obstetrical outcomes", from the inception of each database to June 2019. Review of articles also included the abstracts of all references retrieved from the search. Randomized, cohort, case-control, or case series were all accepted study designs. Only studies reporting obstetrical outcomes in women undergone LOT-R to assess dispositional optimism during pregnancy were included. Obstetrical outcomes included preterm birth, pre-eclampsia and small for gestational age fetuses. All analyses were carried out using the random effects model. Dichotomous variables were analyzed using the odds ratio (OR) with a 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI). No continuous variables were compared in the analysis. Significance level was set at P < 0.05. Heterogeneity was measured using I-squared (Higgins I).
RESULTS
Two prospective cohort studies, including 3,570 pregnancies undergone LOT-R - mostly during the second trimester - were included in the systematic review. Out of the 3,570 pregnancies included, 411 were in the lowest quartile of optimism, according to LOT-R score. Dispositional optimism showed a trend towards lower incidence of preterm birth (7.6 % vs 9.7 %; OR 0.76, CI 0.53-1.09); no difference between women at higher levels and women in the lowest quartile of optimism was found in preeclampsia and small for gestational age. Women at higher levels of dispositional optimism were significantly associated with: age ≥ 30 years; marriage or "marriage-like status"; lower rates of public assistance and smoking; white ethnicity; higher rates of higher education.
CONCLUSION
There are limited data on optimism and obstetric outcomes. Higher levels of optimism, evaluated by the LOT-R tool in two studies, are associated with a non-significant decrease in preterm birth.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Optimism; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnant Women
PubMed: 32203826
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.03.029 -
Journal of Community Psychology Sep 2023In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded more than 300,000 buildings causing an estimated $125 billion in damages and resulting in 68 deaths (National Hurricane Center). This...
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded more than 300,000 buildings causing an estimated $125 billion in damages and resulting in 68 deaths (National Hurricane Center). This actual or threatened loss of life and physical harm led many to report negative effects on mental well-being and greater mental illness. However, many individuals have been able to experience similar adverse events without a significant negative impact on their mental health and well-being. Positive thinking factors such as hope, optimism, and self-efficacy have been proposed as protective factors in the face of difficult life events. Hope, optimism, and self-efficacy are related but distinct constructs that have often been studied separately, but whose unique impact on well-being and mental illness is less clear, especially in the context of a natural hazard. The current study uses structural equation modeling to measure the unique contribution of hope, optimism, and hurricane-coping self-efficacy on mental well-being and mental illness in a community sample of 300 subjects who experienced Hurricane Harvey, recruited from Mechanical Turk.
Topics: Humans; Mental Health; Cyclonic Storms; Self Efficacy; Optimism; Adaptation, Psychological
PubMed: 37453085
DOI: 10.1002/jcop.23075 -
Journal of Personality Aug 2020Higher optimism has been linked with health, well-being, and cognitive functioning. Spouses also play an important role on people's health, especially in older...
OBJECTIVE
Higher optimism has been linked with health, well-being, and cognitive functioning. Spouses also play an important role on people's health, especially in older adulthood. Yet, whether a spouse's optimism is associated with an individual's cognitive functioning is understudied. Thus, we examined this question.
METHOD
Participants were 4,457 heterosexual couples (N = 8,914; M = 66.73, SD = 9.67) from the Health and Retirement Study-a large, diverse, prospective, and nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged >50. Optimism was assessed at baseline (t ) and cognition was measured every two years with up to five repeated assessments of cognition data over the 8-year follow-up period (t ; t ; t ; t ; t ).
RESULTS
Results from multi-level dyadic data analyses showed small but positive associations between actor optimism and actor cognitive functioning (memory: r = .16, mental status = .10), as well as partner optimism and actor cognitive functioning (memory: r = .04, mental status = .03). These associations mostly persisted over time.
CONCLUSIONS
Participants' own optimism and their partner's optimism were both positively associated with cognitive functioning.Thus, with further research, optimism (at both the individual and couple level) might emerge as an innovative intervention target that helps adults maintain cognitive functioning as they age.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Cognition; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Memory; Middle Aged; Optimism; Spouses
PubMed: 31784979
DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12529