Measuring hope amongst Tanzanian women who participate in microfinance: An evaluation of the Snyder hope scale

ABSTRACT

Measuring hope reliably and accurately remains an important research objective, not least in less prosperous settings where ‘holding on to hope’ may be critically important in the struggle against adverse life conditions. The State Hope Scale was designed for use in the US. Despite reported application in diverse cultures and using translations the scale has not been extensively validated outside US populations. This study contributes to a larger project exploring the measurement of hope and provides a critique of Snyder’s scale as used in a Tanzanian female population of 1021 urban microfinance participants. We evaluate the scale’s validity through assessment of the empirical distribution of scores, item response profiles, internal consistency and discriminatory ability. Participants mostly scored very high and many reached very near the maximum attainable score. Hardly any endorsed the negative half of the response scale. Several problems are discussed including poor discrimination and strong evidence of acquiescence response bias. We also found little association of the scale scores with hypothesised correlates of hope. Future improvements on the measurement of hope are recommended, especially in studies outside the narrow Western context in which the scale was devised.     

The meaning of spirituality: a literature review

This paper presents a literature review in relation to the meaning of spirituality. It is proposed that meeting the spiritual needs of patients is a fundamental part of providing holistic nursing care, but that the assessment and meeting of those needs is impeded by inadequate definitions and conceptual frameworks. It should not be assumed that spirituality is either synonymous, or coterminous, with religion, and it is suggested that to adopt this restrictive view is unhelpful in the provision of individualized care. Reflection on the literature reveals that the self, others and 'God' provide the key elements within a definition of spirituality, and that other emerging themes namely meaning, hope, relatedness/connectedness, beliefs/belief systems and expressions of spirituality, can be articulated in the context of those three key elements. In particular, it is proposed that the nature of 'God' may take many forms and, essentially, is whatever an individual takes to be of highest value in his/her life. It is suggested that the themes emerging from the literature can be utilized as a framework to give practitioners and researchers a direction for future exploration of the concept of spirituality.     

Hope, Coping, and Adjustment Among Children with Sickle Cell Disease: Tests of Mediator and Moderator Models

Tested mediator and moderator models of hope, coping, and adjustmentin 39 children with sickle cell disease. In home interviewsparents provided information on demographics and functionaladjustment. Children self-reported levels of hope, coping strategies,and psychological adjustment. Coping strategies moderated, butdid not mediate, the relationship between hope and adjustment.Hope was negatively associated with anxiety when active coping,support coping, and distraction coping was high. Avoidance copingdid not moderate the hope-adjustment relationship but was positivelyrelated to anxiety. No effects were found for depressive symptomsor for the functional measures of adjustment.     

加强术前专科健康教育在先天性心脏病患儿家属中的应用

目的探究分析加强术前专科健康教育对先天性心脏病手术患儿家属健康相关坚韧性及希望指数的影响。方法选取2015年6月-2019年6月期间来院就诊的先天性心脏病患儿家属74例作为临床研究对象,采用随机数字表法将患者分为观察组和对照组两组,各37例,对照组患儿家属给予常规干预,观察组在对照组基础上加用加强术前专科健康教育,对比两组患儿家属行不同干预前后Herth希望指数量表(herth hope index,HHI)、健康相关坚韧性量表(health-related hardinessScale,HRHS)以及对护理工作的满意度。结果行不同干预后,两组患儿家属现实和未来积极态度、采取积极的行动、与他人保持密切关系以及希望总分等HHI量表各项评分均明显升高(P<0.05),控制量表、承担量表、挑战量表及坚韧性评分等HRHS量表各项评分均明显提高(P<0.05),且同期观察组患儿家属上述评分均明显优于对照组患儿家属(P<0.05)。观察组与对照组相比患儿家属对护理工作的满意度较高,组间差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论加强术前专科健康教育能够有效的提高先天性心脏病患儿家属健康相关坚韧性及希望水平,提高患儿家属对护理工作的满意度。     

“The median isn't the message”: How to communicate the uncertainties of survival prognoses to cancer patients in a realistic and hopeful way

This study investigated how doctors communicate the uncertainties of survival prognoses to patients recently diagnosed with life‐threatening cancer, and suggests ways to improve this communication. Two hundred thirty‐eight Norwegian oncologists and general practitioners (GPs) participated in Study 1. The study included both a scenario and a survey. The scenario asked participants to respond to a hypothetical patient who wanted to know how long (s)he could be expected to live. There were marked differences in responses within both groups, but few differences between the GPs and oncologists. There was a strong reluctance among doctors to provide patients with a prognosis. Even when they were presented with a statistically well‐founded right‐skewed survival curve, only a small minority provided hope by communicating the variation in survival time. In Study 2, 177 healthy students rated their preferences for different ways of receiving information regarding the uncertainty of a survival prognosis. Participants who received an explicitly described right‐skewed survival curve believed that they would feel more hopeful. These participants also obtained a more realistic understanding of the variation in survival than those who did not receive this information. Based on the findings of the two studies and on extant psychological research, the author suggests much‐needed guidelines for communicating survival prognoses in a realistic and optimistic way to patients recently diagnosed with life‐threatening cancer. In particular, the guidelines emphasise that the doctor explains the often strongly right‐skewed variation in survival time, and thereby providing the patient with realistic hope.     

Dispositional hope and life satisfaction among older adults attending lifelong learning programs

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to explore the indirect effects of dispositional hope in the life satisfaction of older adults attending a lifelong learning program at the University of Valencia, Spain. We examine the mediating impact of dispositional hope regarding its ability to impact life satisfaction while considering affective and confidant social support, perceived health and leisure activities, consciousness and spirituality as predictors.MethodsAnalysis were based on survey data (response rate 77.4%) provided by 737 adults 55 years old or more (Mean age = 65.41, SD = 6.60; 69% woman). A structural model with latent variables was specified and estimated in Mplus.ResultsThe results show the ability of just a few variables to sum up a reasonable model to apply to successful aging population. All these variables are correlated and significantly predict hope with the exception of health. The model additionally includes significant positive indirect effects from spirituality, affective support and consciousness on satisfaction. The model has a good fit in terms of both the measurement and structural model. Regarding predictive power, these comprehensive four main areas of successful aging account for 42% of hope and finally for one third of the life satisfaction variance.ConclusionsResults support the mediating role of dispositional hope on the life satisfaction among older adults attending lifelong learning programs. These findings also support the MacArthur model of successful aging adapted to older adults with high levels of functional, social and cognitive ability. Dispositional hope, perceived health, and social support were the strongest predictors of satisfaction with life.     

Obesity,neoliberalism and epidemic psychology: critical commentary and alternative approaches to public health

Obesity and neoliberalism are two concepts that generate plenty of concern and debate, arguably leading to more heat than light when terms like ‘epidemic’ are thrown into the fray. Drawing from critical weight studies, this paper offers critical commentary on the recent designation of obesity as a ‘neoliberal epidemic’ that can be attributed to energy-dense foods and a toxic mode of political economic organization. After delineating neoliberalism and the use of this concept in health studies, discussion turns towards contrasting invocations in the ‘fat field’ before seeking to navigate a course through this terrain. In addition to contributing to critical weight studies and the obesity debate, this commentary engages discussions on the perils of invoking neoliberalism in public health critique. In conclusion, we move from critique to hope with reference to epistemologies derived from alternative health practices, notably frameworks incorporating Indigenous knowledge(s).     

Hope as a Moderator of Negative Life Events and Depressive Symptoms in a Diverse Sample

Depression is a significant public health problem for young adults of college age, and negative life events exacerbate risk. Not all individuals who experience negative life events, however, report depressive symptoms, perhaps owing to protective characteristics. We examined one such characteristic, trait hope, a goal‐oriented construct, as a potential moderator of the association between negative life events and depressive symptoms in an ethnically diverse sample of 386 college students. In support of our hypotheses, negative life events were significantly associated with greater levels of depressive symptoms, and higher levels of hope attenuated this relationship, such that those with greater hope reported fewer depressive symptoms related to potentially traumatic events. The moderating effect of hope did not differ across ethnic groups. Our findings have implications for managing the sequelae of negative life events, including depression. Cognitive–behavioural interventions tailored to help young adults identify and attain important life goals might help to overcome psychopathology associated with life stress. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.