Individual differences in the perception of optimism and disease severity: A study among individuals with Parkinson's disease

The extent to which individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) show lability in optimism was explored in the present study. The relationship between optimism and perceived disease severity was examined as well. Twelve individuals diagnosed with PD completed self-report measures for 70 consecutive days. All individuals in this study showed lability in optimism over short time periods; however, 67% of the sample showed no pervasive negative changes in optimism over time. Increased levels of optimism on one day were predictive of decreased perceived disease severity the next day for one-fourth of the sample, after controlling for negative affect. Individual differences in the relationship between optimism and disease severity provided support for the idea that living with chronic illness has no monolithic meaning. More optimistic individuals reported less need for assistance with basic functional abilities than less optimistic individuals. The usefulness of lability in optimism among individuals with PD is discussed.     

The children’s optimism and humor training program in South Korea

The Optimism and Humor Training Program (OHTP) developed to increase optimism and adaptive use of humor for elementry students. Two sixth grade classrooms participated, and the program was implemented in one class (n?=?23) over 8 weeks. The effectiveness of the program was tested by Analysis of Covariance. The results indicate that children who participated in the OHTP showed an increase in optimism, use of adaptive humor, and more adaptability in school.     

Optimism and the Experience of Pain: A Systematic Review

Abstract

A growing body of literature provides evidence of the health-promoting effects of optimism, including its protective role in acute and chronic pain. Optimists are characterized by positive expectations concerning the future. These positive outcome expectancies lead to more and longer goal-directed efforts and the use of approach coping strategies. No systematic review on the effects of optimism on the experience of pain has so far been conducted. A search in the databases PubMed, Web of Science and PsycInfo, and the scanning of reference lists identified 69 eligible studies. These were categorized according to sample size, participants’ age and sex, design, optimism-pain relation as primary vs. secondary study objective, and level of study/publication quality. Overall percentages of positive, zero, and negative associations between optimism and pain as well as relative frequencies of these associations in the different categories were analyzed. About 70% of the studies showed a positive, i.e., beneficial association between optimism and at least one pain outcome. A larger percentage of beneficial associations was found in studies with experimental designs, in studies with the optimism-pain relation as primary objective, in high-quality studies/publications, and in studies including participants with a higher average age. The review suggests that optimism is associated with less acute and chronic pain, especially since a higher percentage of beneficial associations was found with high study/publication quality and with the primary focus on this relationship. For the moderating role of age, different explanations are proposed. Further research on causal relationships and on optimism-fostering clinical interventions is needed.     

Optimistic amnesia: how online and offline processing shape belief updating and memory biases in immediate and long-term optimism biases

When people are confronted with feedback that counters their prior beliefs, they preferentially rely on desirable rather than undesirable feedback in belief updating, i.e. an optimism bias. In two pre-registered EEG studies employing an adverse life event probability estimation task, we investigated the neurocognitive processes that support the formation and the change of optimism biases in immediate and 24 h delayed tests. We found that optimistic belief updating biases not only emerged immediately but also became significantly larger after 24 h, suggesting an active role of valence-dependent offline consolidation processes in the change of optimism biases. Participants also showed optimistic memory biases: they were less accurate in remembering undesirable than desirable feedback probabilities, with inferior memories of undesirable feedback associated with lower belief updating in the delayed test. Examining event-related brain potentials (ERPs) revealed that desirability of feedback biased initial encoding: desirable feedback elicited larger P300s than undesirable feedback, with larger P300 amplitudes predicting both higher belief updating and memory accuracies. These results suggest that desirability of feedback could bias both online and offline memory-related processes such as encoding and consolidation, with both processes contributing to the formation and change of optimism biases.     

植入式心律转复除颤器手术前后患者确定感、焦虑与性格乐观状态的研究

目的研究比较植入式心律转复除颤器(ICD)作为心源性猝死的一级预防(primary prevention,PP)和二级预防(secondary prevention,SP),在植入前、植入后1周以及植入后1个月对患者情绪的不同影响。方法选择15例患者应用植入式心律转复除颤器作为心源性猝死的PP,15例患者应用植入式心律转复除颤器作为心源性猝死的SP,应用描述性横断面调查法,利用Mishel-疾病不确定感量表(Mishel’s Uncertainty in Illness Scale,MUIS-C),特质状态焦虑量表(State-Trait Anxiety Inventory,STAI)和生活目标量表(the Life Orientation Test,LOT-R),通过晤谈行半结构访问。结果在植入式心律转复除颤器植入前,两组患者的MUIS-C分值都较高(PP=67.67±13.36;SP=70.27±6.80,P=0.507);LOT-R分值为PP=15.67±3.8,SP=16.47±3.6,P=0.557;STAI分值为PP=37.40±10.0,SP=37.73±13.6,P=0.940。在植入式心律转复除颤器植入后1个月,PP患者的MUIS-C分值明显低于SP患者(PP=62.33±4.17,SP=67.87±4.61,P=0.002)。结论利用植入式心律转复除颤器作为SP的患者护理时更应该引起护士的重视。     

Parental longevity correlates with offspring’s optimism in two cohorts of community-dwelling older subjects

Dispositional optimism and other positive personality traits have been associated with longevity. Using a familial approach, we investigated the relationship between parental longevity and offspring’s dispositional optimism among community-dwelling older subjects. Parental age of death was assessed using structured questionnaires in two different population-based samples: the Leiden Longevity Study (n = 1,252, 52.2% female, mean age 66 years, SD = 4) and the Alpha Omega Trial (n = 769, 22.8% female, mean age 69 years, SD = 6). Adult offspring’s dispositional optimism was assessed with the Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R). The association between parental age of death and levels of optimism in the offspring was analysed using linear regression analysis within each sample and a meta-analysis for the overall effect. In both samples, the parental mean age of death was positively associated with optimism scores of the offspring. The association remained significant after adjustment for age, gender, living arrangement, body mass index, smoking status, education and self-rated health of the offspring. The pooled B coefficient (increase in LOT-R score per 10-year increase in parental mean age of death) was 0.30 (SE = 0.08, p < 0.001). In conclusion, parental longevity was positively associated with optimism in adult offspring, suggesting a partial linked heritability of longevity and optimism.     

The Psychometric Properties and Correlates of the Reynolds' Suicide Ideation Questionnaire with Kuwaiti and American Students

In samples of Kuwaiti (n = 460) and American (n = 273) college students, the Reynolds Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ) proved to have good internal consistency and concurrent validity with measures of anxiety, optimism, pessimism, death obsession, obsession-compulsion, and ego-grasping. The SIQ was factorially complex in both samples, but the eight critical items showed a similar two-factor pattern in both samples. It is important to note that in spite of the great differences between Kuwait and US students and their cultures, the findings were quite similar. By and large, the psychological correlates of the SIQ may have cross-cultural generality.     

The Relationship between Reciprocity and the Emotional and Behavioural Responses of Staff

Background The current study examines a model relating to the concept of reciprocity and burnout in staff, incorporating previous research findings based upon Weiner’s (1980, 1986) cognitive‐emotional model linking emotions, optimism and helping behaviour, with the aim of testing the model. Materials Staff working in community homes within the voluntary, private and public sector for people with intellectual disabilities within an urban borough completed a self‐report questionnaire including measures of reciprocity, burnout, emotion, optimism and helping behaviour. Results Support was found for an association between lack of reciprocity and levels of burnout. Burnout was found to be correlated with emotion, optimism and helping behaviour. Path analysis revealed significant associations between a lack of reciprocity with the organization and colleagues, burnout, positive affect, optimism and helping. Conclusions The findings provide support for the role of reciprocal relationships between care staff, the organization and work colleagues in burnout. Some support was found for the proposed model. The clinical implications of the study, methodological considerations and recommendations for future research are discussed.