-
Indian Journal of Nephrology 2023Shortage of organ donors is the most important obstacle standing in the way of lifesaving organ transplantation in a myriad of patients suffering from end-stage organ... (Review)
Review
Shortage of organ donors is the most important obstacle standing in the way of lifesaving organ transplantation in a myriad of patients suffering from end-stage organ failure. It is vital that the transplant societies and associated appropriate authorities develop strategies to overcome the unmet needs for organ donation. The power of prominent social media (SoMe) platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, which reach millions of people, can increase awareness, provide education, and may ameliorate the pessimism toward organ donation among the general population. Additionally, public solicitation of organs may be helpful for waitlisted candidates for organ transplantation, who cannot find a suitable donor among near relations. However, the use of SoMe for organ donation has several ethical issues. This review attempts to highlight the advantages and limitations of using social media in the context of organ donation for transplantation. Some suggestions on the best utilization of social media platforms for organ donation while balancing ethical considerations have been highlighted here.
PubMed: 37197042
DOI: 10.4103/ijn.ijn_158_22 -
Psychiatria Danubina 2022The COVID-19 pandemic affects all aspects of the population including children, elderly, and vulnerable people. The aim of this study is to examine, for the first time,...
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic affects all aspects of the population including children, elderly, and vulnerable people. The aim of this study is to examine, for the first time, the relationship optimism-pessimism levels of mothers and anxiety level of children in turkey during COVID-19 pandemic.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Optimism-Pessimism Scale and Preschool Anxiety Scale were used to collect data from a representative sample of 33,362 mothers with children aged 3-6 years.
RESULTS
Of the parents, 53% of them reported that their children were slightly anxious due to COVID-19 pandemic. Lower optimism and higher pessimism were significantly related with higher levels of children's anxiety including social, generalized, separation, and overall anxiety as well as obvious fear. Group comparison analysis indicated that very anxious children reported the highest level of different types of anxiety and fear compared to less anxious and not at all anxious children.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that mental health of children has been adversely affected during the pandemic and this has important implications for designing and implementing interventions aimed at reducing anxiety levels of children and determining protective and risk factors associated with anxiety in the face of adversity.
Topics: Aged; Anxiety; COVID-19; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Optimism; Pandemics; Pessimism
PubMed: 35772159
DOI: 10.24869/psyd.2022.364 -
Philosophical Studies 2023The Liar sentence , which reads ' is not true', can be used to produce an apparently valid argument proving that is not true and that is true. There has been...
The Liar sentence , which reads ' is not true', can be used to produce an apparently valid argument proving that is not true and that is true. There has been increasing recognition of the appeal of contextualist solutions to the Liar paradox. Contextualist accounts hold that some step in the reasoning induces a context shift that causes the apparently contradictory claims to occur at different contexts. Attempts at identifying the most promising contextualist account often rely on , which seek to isolate a step at which the context cannot be claimed to have shifted or must have shifted. The literature contains a number of timing arguments that draw incompatible conclusions about the location of the context shift. I argue that no existing timing arguments succeed. An alternative strategy for assessing contextualist accounts evaluates the plausibility of their explanations of why the context shifts. However, even this strategy yields no clear verdict about which contextualist account is the most promising. I conclude that there are some grounds for optimism and for pessimism about the potential to adequately motivate contextualism.
PubMed: 37323614
DOI: 10.1007/s11098-022-01841-2 -
PloS One 2020The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire. A sample of undergraduate students (N = 539) was measured on...
The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire. A sample of undergraduate students (N = 539) was measured on defensive pessimism using the Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire (DPQ), optimism and pessimism using the Life Orientation Test (LOT), positive and negative affect using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and anxiety using the trait subscale of the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory. A Spanish version of the DPQ (DPQ-SV) is presented. Exploratory and Robust Confirmatory Factor Analysis had a bi-dimensional structure (Reflectivity and Negative Expectation). Omega coefficient showed a high internal consistency and the temporal stability was high in each dimension. Both DPQ-SV subscales (Negative Expectation and Reflectivity) showed adequate convergence with LOT-optimism and LOT-pessimism. Reflectivity showed adequate criterion validity with trait-anxiety and negative affect, but inadequate criterion validity with positive affect. Negative Expectation showed excellent criterion validity with trait-anxiety and negative affect and good criterion validity with positive affect. Finally, mediation analysis showed that Negative Expectation had a significant indirect mediating effect between trait-anxiety and negative affect. Reflectivity had a significant indirect mediating effect between trait-anxiety and negative and positive affect. Analysis of the psychometric properties of the DPQ-SV subscale scores showed that it is a two factor adequate measurement tool for its use in this type of samples.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Female; Humans; Male; Personality Inventory; Pessimism; Psychometrics; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 32302314
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229695 -
The Journal of Positive Psychology Nov 2015Optimism and pessimism are associated with important outcomes including health and depression. Yet it is unclear if these apparent polar opposites form a single...
Optimism and pessimism are associated with important outcomes including health and depression. Yet it is unclear if these apparent polar opposites form a single dimension or reflect two distinct systems. The extent to which personality accounts for differences in optimism/pessimism is also controversial. Here, we addressed these questions in a genetically informative sample of 852 pairs of twins. Distinct genetic influences on optimism and pessimism were found. Significant family-level environment effects also emerged, accounting for much of the negative relationship between optimism and pessimism, as well as a link to neuroticism. A general positive genetics factor exerted significant links among both personality and life-orientation traits. Both optimism bias and pessimism also showed genetic variance distinct from all effects of personality, and from each other.
PubMed: 26561494
DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2015.1015155 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series A,... Feb 2022Research documents the adverse health effects of systemic inflammation. Overall, older Black Americans tend to have higher inflammation than older non-Hispanic White...
BACKGROUND
Research documents the adverse health effects of systemic inflammation. Overall, older Black Americans tend to have higher inflammation than older non-Hispanic White adults. Given that inflammation is related to a range of chronic health problems that disproportionately affect Blacks compared to Whites, this racial disparity in inflammation may contribute to racial disparities in particular chronic health problems. Thus, a better understanding of its determinants in the older Black population is of critical importance. This analysis examined the association between neighborhood characteristics and inflammation in a national sample of older non-Hispanic Black Americans. An additional aim of this study was to determine whether hopelessness and pessimism moderate the association between neighborhood characteristics and inflammation.
METHODS
A sample of older non-Hispanic Black Americans aged 60+ were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 1004). Neighborhood characteristics included neighborhood physical disadvantage and neighborhood social cohesion. Inflammation was assessed by C-reactive protein.
RESULTS
The analyses indicated that neighborhood physical disadvantage and social cohesion were not associated with C-reactive protein. Hopelessness and pessimism moderated the association between neighborhood physical disadvantage and C-reactive protein.
CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge regarding the role of hopelessness and pessimism as moderator in the neighborhood-inflammation association can inform cognitive-behavioral interventions targeted at changes in cognition patterns.
Topics: Black or African American; C-Reactive Protein; Humans; Inflammation; Neighborhood Characteristics; Pessimism; Residence Characteristics
PubMed: 33929517
DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab121 -
Psychological Reports Jan 2023In this study, we examined the relationship between optimism and pessimism associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health, and perceived risk of infection. In...
In this study, we examined the relationship between optimism and pessimism associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health, and perceived risk of infection. In particular, we tested the hypothesis that, when optimism and pessimism were high during the pandemic period, a worse mental health and a higher perception of risk would be reported. To this end, a convenience sample of 374 Italian adults was enrolled. Measures included perceived stress, optimism, and pessimism associated with the development of the pandemic situation, as well as the perceived risk of Covid-19 infection. The results showed that optimism and pessimism were associated with perceived stress and Covid-19 risk perception while controlling for demographic variables. Optimism and stress were negatively related, while pessimism was positively related to both stress and risk perception. Furthermore, the interaction between optimism and optimism was significant, with a higher perception of risk in the presence of both high optimism and pessimism, and a lower perception of risk with high optimism and low pessimism. These results support the hypothesis that optimism and pessimism interacted in predicting Covid-19 risk perception and show that they should be measured as partially correlated but independent constructs in future investigations.
PubMed: 36688487
DOI: 10.1177/00332941231153320 -
Journal of Aging and Health Oct 2022Positive psychosocial factors may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the association of optimism and pessimism with CVD events in...
Positive psychosocial factors may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the association of optimism and pessimism with CVD events in community-dwelling older adults. 11,651 adults aged 70 years and over, participants of the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), were followed-up for 4.7 years (median). The association of optimism and pessimism (assessed as separate constructs by revised Life Orientation Test) and incident CVD events (composite and components) was assessed by Cox regression adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and health factors. No association was observed between optimism and pessimism with composite CVD events. Being more pessimistic was associated with a greater risk of fatal coronary heart disease, while being more optimistic was associated with a lower risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction. Optimism and pessimism may shape cardiovascular health of older adults; and we argue these psychosocial factors should be researched as separate constructs.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Optimism; Pessimism; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35410519
DOI: 10.1177/08982643221083118 -
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology,... Sep 2023Personality traits, such as dispositional optimism and pessimism, have impact on a variety of health-related problems. Influence on outcome in total knee arthroplasty... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
PURPOSE
Personality traits, such as dispositional optimism and pessimism, have impact on a variety of health-related problems. Influence on outcome in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) could only be shown for other personality trait concepts, but not for dispositional optimism/pessimism. This study aims to examine the association of dispositional optimism/pessimism with pre-operative joint function and post-operative outcome in TKA.
METHODS
Data were acquired in a multicentre, cross-sectoral, prospective study (the PROMISE Trial). Patients were followed for 12 months post-operatively. Dispositional optimism/pessimism was measured pre-operatively via the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), pre- and post-operative function was measured via the 12 Item Knee-osteoarthritis outcome Scores (KOOS-12). Log-linear regression models considering known confounders and t-test were carried out to show the association of LOT-R scores with pre- and post-operative KOOS-12 scores.
RESULTS
740 patients were analyzed. Optimistic LOT-R was significantly positively associated to the mean scores of KOOS-12 pre- and post-operative, while pessimistic LOT-R was significantly associated negatively (pre-operative: optimistic p = 0.001, pessimistic p = 0.001; post-operative optimistic: 3M p = 0.001, 6M p = 0.001, 12M p = 0.001; post-operative pessimistic: 3M p = 0.01, 6M p = 0.004, 12M p = 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Optimism was positively associated with pre-operative joint function and, more importantly, post-operative functional outcome in TKA, while pessimism was associated with the opposite. Assessing patients' general personality traits prior to surgery to identify pessimistic patients, hence being at risk for poor outcome in TKA, should be considered to react to the patients' special needs and possible pessimistic expectations, i.e., through a cognitive-behavioral intervention, to potentially increase optimism and hereby post-operative outcome in TKA.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Prognostic Level III.
Topics: Humans; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Knee Joint; Personality; Pessimism; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 37147400
DOI: 10.1007/s00167-023-07434-8 -
British Journal of Health Psychology Nov 2020Studies have demonstrated the importance of optimism in predicting perceived general health. However, the handful of studies focusing on cardiovascular biomarkers show...
OBJECTIVE
Studies have demonstrated the importance of optimism in predicting perceived general health. However, the handful of studies focusing on cardiovascular biomarkers show inconsistent effects. Additionally, no study examined whether spousal levels of optimism and pessimism affect an individual's biological markers of cardiovascular health. Thus, our objectives were to examine whether partners' optimism and pessimism affect individual biological markers, differentiating between between-dyad associations and within-dyad predictive processes.
METHODS
Three waves of the Health and Retirement Study collected in 2006, 2010, and 2014 were used to test actor and partner effects of optimism and pessimism on C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-density lipoprotein. Multilevel longitudinal actor-partner models were used to examine the contribution of a partner's optimism and pessimism to each biomarker, adjusting for respondent's age, sex, depression, body mass index, daily activity levels, and a summary score of respondent's doctor-diagnosed chronic conditions.
RESULTS
Partners' pessimism and optimism levels were moderately associated. Results for within-person effects were all non-significant, both within and across waves. Associations at the between-person level were also non-significant, with the exception of a positive association between husbands' pessimism and their own CRP, and husbands' optimism and their wives' CRP.
CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that optimism and pessimism may not play a pertinent role in within variability of biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases and have a minor role in predicting to between-person variability of biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases.
Topics: Aged; Attitude to Health; Biomarkers; C-Reactive Protein; Female; Humans; Male; Optimism; Pessimism; Prospective Studies; Sexual Partners; Spouses
PubMed: 32914524
DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12466