Dispositional optimism

Relations of optimism and purpose in life to immune markers in aging

OBJECTIVE

Optimism and purpose in life are associated with improved health outcomes. More information is needed on biological mechanisms, including immunosenescence. We investigated if psychological well-being is associated with healthier immunosenescence-related measures including naïve and terminally differentiated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell percentages, CD4+:CD8+, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG response.

METHODS

Participants were adults over age 50 from the Health and Retirement Study. Optimism was measured using the Life Orientation Test Revised. Purpose in life was assessed using the subscale from the Ryff psychological well-being measure. We examined the cross-sectional associations of optimism and purpose in life with measures of T cell subsets using linear regression and with CMV IgG using ordered logit regression, controlling for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

The final analytic sample ranged from 7250 to 7870. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, a 1-SD increment in optimism was associated with the percentage of naïve CD4+ T cells increasing by 0.6 (95%CI 0.2%, 1.0%). A 1-SD increment in purpose in life was associated with the percentage of naïve CD4+ T cells increasing by 0.9 (95%CI 0.5%, 1.3%) after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and the association was maintained after further adjustments for health conditions, depression, and health behaviors. For naïve CD8+ T cell percentages, CD4:CD8 ratios, and CMV IgG antibodies, associations were seen only in models that adjusted for age. No significant associations were seen in any models for the terminally differentiated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.

CONCLUSIONS

We found associations of optimism and purpose in life with naïve CD4+ T cell percentages.

Information as a resource: Can perceived information process quality in the workplace contribute to more optimism in times of crisis?

Against the background of Job Demands-Resources and Conservation of Resources theory and research on organizational communication, this prospective study among n = 312 employees explores the significant role of perceived information process quality (PIPQ) in enhancing employees' optimism during the COVID-19 pandemic. It thereby contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing employee optimism in challenging contexts. In this study, PIPQ is defined by the availability of timely information, clarity, and consistency in the information provided. Results from latent change score modelling revealed that employees who experienced high PIPQ, particularly consistent information, reported feeling more optimistic about work-related aspects and also experienced spillover effects into their private lives. Notably, both consistency in information prior to the pandemic and increases in consistent information during the pandemic demonstrated this beneficial effect. Moreover, timely available information also positively influenced optimism, especially regarding work-related aspects. However, the study did not find evidence that clarity in information significantly affected optimism. In summary, the findings underscore the importance of accessible and consistent information as a vital resource for employees' ability to navigate crises.

The mediating effect of positive expectations in the relationship between social support and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among parents of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

PURPOSE

Parents of children with cancer are exposed to risks of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, but few studies have explored PTSD symptoms of Chinese parents of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Our study aimed to examine the association between social support and PTSD symptoms and to examine the mediating effect of positive expectations in this relationship among parents of children with ALL.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted of consecutive parents of children with ALL in the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. A total of 177 parents eligible for this study completed questionnaires on PTSD symptoms, perceived social support, optimism and general self-efficacy anonymously. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to examine how positive expectations mediated the association between perceived social support and PTSD symptoms.

RESULTS

Mean score of PTSD symptoms was 37.64 ± 14.44; 29.4% of the sample scored 44 and above, 19.8% scored 50 and above. After adjusting for covariates, perceived social support was negatively associated with the total score of PTSD symptoms (β = -0.209, p < 0.01). Positive expectations were found to mediate the relationship between perceived social support and PTSD symptoms, especially for the symptoms of avoidance and hyperarousal.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimism and general self-efficacy fully mediated the association between perceived social support and PTSD symptoms. Therefore, social support and positive expectations should be included in PTSD preventions and treatments targeting Chinese parents of children with ALL.

Validity and Reliability of the Greek Version of Adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale in Terms of Dispositional Optimism in a Community-Dwelling Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Vaccine hesitancy is an important public health issue referring to concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccination. Within a framework, this study aimed to assess the cultural adaptation, validity, and reliability of the Greek version of the adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (aVHS) as well as to identify the determinants of vaccine hesitancy among a large regional population in central Greece. A cross-sectional study was conducted enrolling 300 adults who had received primary healthcare services in the Health Centers and Local Health Units of the Magnesia Region from October to December 2022. The aVHS and the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) were used to identify vaccine hesitancy and the dispositional level of optimism, respectively. For survey translation, the procedure of forward and backward translation was followed. Also, the aVHS was tested in a pilot study with a sample of 18 responders. Construct validity and internal consistency reliability were investigated via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha coefficients, respectively. Simple and multiple linear regression analysis were used to determine predictors for vaccine hesitancy. Factor analyses indicated that the aVHS comprises two constructs ("lack of confidence" and "risk perception") explaining 68.9% of the total variance. The Cronbach's alpha of the total scale was 0.884, indicating its high internal consistency. Participants who lived in rural areas, had a lower annual income, and reported a lower level of optimism showed a higher lack of confidence in vaccination. On the other hand, people aged above 45 years old who had graduated from high school or elementary school and were unemployed showed greater aversion to the risks of side effects. Finally, certain socio-demographic characteristics were associated with vaccine hesitancy. Our data suggest that the aVHS is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring vaccine-related attitudes and perceptions in Greek society, providing meaningful insight into designing vaccination-related preventive interventions in the community.

The feasibility of motivational interviewing on adherence to care practices, emotional intelligence, and dispositional optimism among patients with permanent pacemakers

AIMS

Motivational interviewing (MI) has been recognized as highly effective for treating chronic diseases and various conditions, with encouraging results demonstrating its effectiveness in promoting health behaviour change. The current study was proposed to evaluate the feasibility of MI on adherence to care practices, emotional intelligence (EI), and dispositional optimism among patients with permanent pacemakers.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study was a parallel arm randomized controlled trial. Seventy clients with permanent pacemakers were randomly allocated to a six-session MI intervention (n = 35) or a waiting list control group (n = 35). A statistically significant improvement in the mean scores of adherence to care practices, EI, and dispositional optimism, along with a significant reduction in pessimism, was registered among the study group compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

Following the intervention for 1- and 2-month follow-up measurements, there were statistically significant improvements in self-care practice adherence. After 1 month of intervention, there were statistically significant gains in EI and dispositional optimism, but at the 2-month follow-up measurement, this improvement had somewhat lessened. The findings suggest that MI may be a feasible and practical approach for improving adherence to care practices, EI, and dispositional optimism in patients with permanent pacemakers.

REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05883514.

A secondary analysis examining the performance of the State Optimism Measure (SOM) compared to the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) in measuring optimism over time

Objective: Optimism is an important factor impacting health and human functioning. Originally conceptualized as a trait, increasing evidence indicates that optimism can change over time and could be an intervention target. Measures are needed that can capture changes in optimism.

Design: In this secondary analysis, we compared the performance of a newly developed state measure, the State Optimism Measure (SOM), to the widely used trait measure, the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), in detecting changes over time during a disruptive life event: the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Main Outcome Measures: Participants (n = 81) were nondaily smokers participating in a smoking cessation intervention, who completed the SOM and LOT-R before and after the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

Results: Optimism declined from pre- to post-COVID-19 outbreak, as assessed by both scales (LOT-R: p=.0147,gav=0.23; SOM: p<.0001,gav=0.56). The change detected was greater when measured by the SOM (p<.0001). Changes in optimism were correlated with concurrent changes in perceived stress, positive affect, and negative affect.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the SOM has a greater sensitivity to detect within-person changes in optimism than the LOT-R and highlight the SOM's utility for longitudinal studies assessing changes in optimism.

Psychometric characteristics of a questionnaire to assess perceived disability in people with epilepsy

It has been determined that quality of life in epilepsy is closely related to the perceived disability experienced by individuals with the diagnosis. However, this measure is seldom considered in healthcare processes. The objective of the present study is to establish the psychometric properties of the Perceived Disability Questionnaire in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy within a Latin American context. A cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted involving 325 participants, aged 12 years and older (M 40.42 years), individuals diagnosed with epilepsy in Colombia. The main psychometric properties of the instrument were explored to account for its factorial validity and reliability. The Perceived Disability Questionnaire exhibits high reliability (α = 0.878) and the three subscales comprising the final version of the questionnaire (Dissatisfaction, Pessimism, and Self-Disdain) explain 45.393 % of the total variance in relation to beliefs of disability associated with the diagnosis of epilepsy; the questionnaire significantly correlates with the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-10). Adequate psychometric properties of the instrument are found, which allows for its proposal as a tool in epilepsy care processes within the Colombian context.

Intraindividual Fluctuation in Optimism Under Daily Life Circumstances: A Longitudinal Study

Optimism is typically conceptualized as a relatively static tendency regarding positive expectations about one's future. However, recent studies suggest that optimism may meaningfully fluctuate within individuals over time. To date, little is known about the characteristics of such state optimism and potential cultural difference in state optimism. Accordingly, we developed a Japanese version of the State Optimism Measure (J-SOM) and examined its validity and the nature of intraindividual state optimism fluctuations; we also examined relationships between the J-SOM and other measures of mental health, including trait optimism. We conducted two online longitudinal surveys with different time intervals (weekly, n = 97; monthly, n = 99) targeting university students. Results were largely consistent between the two surveys. We confirmed high factor validity and internal consistency of the J-SOM. The J-SOM showed significant correlations in expected directions with other measures such as depressive mood and subjective happiness. In addition, intraindividual changes in the J-SOM were associated with changes in mood and quality of daily life. Importantly, these associations between intraindividual change in optimism and in other variables were minimal for trait optimism. We also found that state optimism, compared with trait optimism, tended to show larger intraindividual changes over 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 weeks. In summary, this study developed a translated version of the SOM and validated it, and then showed, for the first time, that state optimism can fluctuate within individuals in daily life over a span of several weeks.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42761-023-00224-y.

Savoring changes novel positive mindset targets of GAD treatment: Optimism, prioritizing positivity, kill-joy thinking, and worry mediation

This study analyzed effects of savoring on unstudied positive mindset targets of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) treatment (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05040061). 85 students with GAD were randomly assigned to one of two ecological momentary interventions (EMIs) on smartphone for seven days. The SkillJoy EMI promoted practices for savoring positive emotions. An active control EMI mirrored SkillJoy, yet did not include savoring or positive emotion. Optimism, worry, kill-joy thinking (lessening positive emotion with cognition), and prioritization of positive emotion activities and goals were assessed at pre-trial, eighth-day, post-trial, and 30th-day follow-up. Savoring was assessed pre-trial and fifth-day mid-trial. Longitudinal linear mixed models and simple slope analyses examined change between and within conditions. Bias-corrected bootstrapping path analysis examined mediation of worry change by increased savoring. SkillJoy led to significantly greater increases in both optimism and prioritizing positivity than the control from pre-trial to post-trial and pre-trial to follow-up. Both interventions significantly reduced kill-joy thinking at both timepoints with Skilljoy leading to marginally greater change at post-trial. Pre- to mid-trial increases in savoring mediated the relationships between treatment condition and reductions in worry at both post-trial and follow-up.

Coworker support amplifies strain in the COVID-19 pandemic for working parents

The COVID-19 pandemic directly threatened our health and safety, while contradictory scientific and media reports generated uncertainty. Social information processing theory suggests that employees may have relied on their coworkers, via coworker support, to make sense of the confusion. Because previous research shows that coworker support can counterintuitively increase strain, we investigated the effects of coworker support on strain during the pandemic. Specifically, we collected data from a heterogeneous US sample of 314 working parents in May 2020 to illustrate the path from personal traits (i.e., optimism, generalized self-efficacy, and internal locus of control) to COVID-19 anxiety to workplace outcomes (i.e., self-rated performance, emotional exhaustion, and work-family conflict) in a multiphasic study design. Employees with low levels of these traits reported more COVID-19 anxiety, and in turn, more decrement to their workplace outcomes. This mediation is moderated by coworker social support, such that the indirect effect is exacerbated by coworker social support. This is consistent with social information processing theory, which states that coworker social support can unintentionally corroborate and amplify employee stress perceptions. We therefore recommend that, when faced with significant adversity, organizations provide communication training oriented toward increasing positive coworker interactions and guiding social information.

Ability-Related Emotional Intelligence: An Introduction

Emotionally intelligent people are thought to be more skilled in recognizing, thinking about, using, and regulating emotions. This construct has garnered considerable interest, but initial enthusiasm has faded and it is time to take stock. There is consensus that ability-related measures of emotional intelligence (EI) can be favored to self-report tests, in part because the resulting scores cannot be equated with personality traits. However, there are questions surrounding measurement as well as predictive value. Experts in the field were encouraged to chart new directions, with the idea that these new directions could reinvigorate EI scholarship. Special Issue papers speak to theory, mechanism, measurement, and training. In addition, these papers seek to forge links with research traditions focused on interpersonal perception, emotional awareness, and emotion regulation. As a result of these efforts, new insights into what EI is and how it works can be anticipated in upcoming years.

Prior resilience to trauma & coping during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

This study examined the potential influence of pre-pandemic psychological resilience on use of approach or avoidant coping styles and strategies to manage stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that higher resilience would be associated with more approach coping and less avoidant coping.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Longitudinal cohort data were from the Nurses' Health Study II, including 13,143 female current and former healthcare professionals with pre-pandemic lifetime trauma. Pre-pandemic resilience was assessed between 2018-2019 and current coping during the outbreak of the pandemic in the United States (May-August 2020). Multiple linear regression model results identified associations between continuous pre-pandemic resilience scores and use of approach and avoidant coping styles, as well as individual coping strategies, adjusting for relevant covariates.

RESULTS

Greater resilience was associated with higher use of approach coping (ß = 0.06, 95% CI 0.05, 0.08) and lower use of avoidant coping styles (ß = -0.39, 95% CI -0.41, -0.38). Higher pre-pandemic resilience was also associated with use of eight (distraction [ß = -0.18, 95% CI -0.20, -0.16], substance use [ß = -0.15, 95% CI -0.17, -0.13], behavioral disengagement [ß = -0.29, 95% CI -0.30, -0.27], self-blame [ß = -0.44, 95% CI -0.45, -0.42], emotional support (ß = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01, 0.05), positive reframing [ß = 0.13, 95% CI 0.12, 0.15], humor [ß = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01, 0.05] and religion [ß = 0.06, 95% CI 0.04, 0.08]) of the nine coping strategies in expected directions.

CONCLUSION

Findings have important implications for intervention or even prevention efforts to support vulnerable groups, such as women with prior trauma histories, during this and other immensely stressful times. Supporting or building psychological resilience following trauma may promote effective coping in times of future stress.

Large environmental changes reduce valence-dependent belief updating

When updating beliefs, humans tend to integrate more desirable information than undesirable information. In stable environments (low uncertainty and high predictability), this asymmetry favors motivation towards action and perceived self-efficacy. However, in changing environments (high uncertainty and low predictability), this process can lead to risk underestimation and increase unwanted costs. Here, we examine how people (n = 388) integrate threatening information during an abrupt environmental change (mandatory quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic). Given that anxiety levels are associated with the magnitude of the updating belief asymmetry; we explore its relationship during this particular context. We report a significant reduction in asymmetrical belief updating during a large environmental change as individuals integrated desirable and undesirable information to the same extent. Moreover, this result was supported by computational modeling of the belief update task. However, we found that the reduction in asymmetrical belief updating was not homogeneous among people with different levels of Trait-anxiety. Individuals with higher levels of Trait-anxiety maintained a valence-dependent updating, as it occurs in stable environments. On the other hand, updating behavior was not associated with acute anxiety (State-Anxiety), health concerns (Health-Anxiety), or having positive expectations (Trait-Optimism). These results suggest that highly uncertain environments can generate adaptive changes in information integration. At the same time, it reveals the vulnerabilities of individuals with higher levels of anxiety to adapt the way they learn.

Age moderates the association of optimism on craving during substance use disorder treatment

BACKGROUND

Optimism, characterized by a positive expectancy toward future outcomes, has garnered attention for its potential role in influencing well-being and may be a protective factor in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. This study evaluated the relationship of optimism and craving among those in substance use disorder SUD treatment.

METHODS

Drawing from a cohort of 4201 individuals in residential SUD treatment programs, this study used both cross-sectional and longitudinal assessment to examine tonic (steady-state) and cue-induced (phasic) cravings across individuals primarily using eight classes of substances. Previous research established that optimism increases during adulthood and peaks during an individual's 50s. This study sought to establish if the association between optimism and craving is moderated by age during the first week of treatment and if that relationship changes over the course of treatment both within and between-person.

RESULTS

This study found a negative correlation between optimism and craving intensity. Elevated optimism scores correlated with substantially reduced levels of both tonic (β = -0.31, p < 0.001) and cue-induced (β = -0.29, p < 0.001) cravings. Age was a significant moderator of the relationship between optimism and craving such that as individuals age, the potency of optimism in mitigating cravings gradually attenuates (interaction for tonic craving: β = 0.06, p < 0.001; interaction for cue-induced craving: β = 0.05, p < 0.001). Reflected in the fact that in older individuals' cravings tended to converge toward lower or moderate levels, regardless of their optimism scores.

CONCLUSIONS

By delineating the contemporaneous association between high optimism and lower cravings, the study suggests that interventions aimed at fostering optimism may represent an avenue to improve the effectiveness of SUD treatment, especially in emerging adults.

Optimism as a key factor in coping with the common cold

Objective

The optimism trait is considered one of the most important psychological factors in protecting and promoting health. This study aims to investigate whether trait optimism may help to cope better with the common cold by reducing the subjective perception of cold symptoms and affecting the immune response.

Methods

To do so, 212 volunteers from the Pittsburg Cold Study 3 within the Common Cold Project were exposed to Rhinovirus (RV39). On the 5 days following the inoculation, a daily symptoms scale, nasal wash, and blood samples were collected to assess Jackson Symptoms (nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, chills, and malaise) and control the Immune System response to infection (concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-α).

Results

Results showed that approximately 30% of the inoculated participants were finally diagnosed with a common cold, showing higher Jackson Symptom severity and Immune System Response (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα and IFNα). Importantly, moderation regression analyses showed that higher optimism scores were related to lower Jackson Symptom severity and TNFα response to infection in cold-diagnosed participants.

Conclusions

Our results provide important evidence for the protective role of optimism, a trait factor that promotes a better perception of wellbeing and less need for immune system resources to successfully cope with the common cold.

Longitudinal Associations Between Optimism and Objective Measures of Physical Functioning in Women

Importance

Identifying factors contributing to sustained physical functioning is critical for the health and well-being of the aging population, especially as physical functioning may precede and predict subsequent health outcomes. Prior work suggests optimism may protect health, but less is known about the association between optimism and objective physical functioning measures as individuals age.

Objective

To evaluate the longitudinal association between optimism and 3 physical functioning measures.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a prospective cohort study using data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) with participants recruited from 1993 to 1998 and followed up over 6 years. Data analysis was conducted from January 2022 to July 2022. Participants included postmenopausal women older than 65 years recruited from 40 clinical centers in the US.

Exposure

Optimism was assessed at baseline using the Life Orientation Test-Revised.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Physical functioning was measured at 4 time points across 6 years by study staff evaluating performance in grip strength, timed walk, and chair stands.

Results

The final analytic sample included 5930 women (mean [SD] age, 70 [4] years). Linear mixed-effects models controlling for demographics, depression, health status, and health behaviors showed that higher optimism was associated with higher grip strength (β = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.21-0.50) and number of chair stands (β = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.10) but not timed walk at baseline. Higher optimism was also associated with slower rates of decline in timed walk (β = -0.09; 95% CI, -0.13 to -0.04) and number of chair stands (β = 0.01; 95% CI, 0-0.03) but not grip strength over time. Cox proportional hazards models showed that higher optimism was associated with lower hazards of reaching clinically defined thresholds of impairment for all 3 outcomes over 6 years of follow-up. For example, in fully adjusted models, for a 1-SD increase in optimism, hazard ratios for reaching impairment thresholds were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.80-0.92) for grip strength, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.88-1.01) for timed walk, and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85-0.98) for chair stands.

Conclusion and Relevance

In this cohort study of postmenopausal women, at baseline, higher optimism was associated with higher grip strength and number of chair stands but not with the time it took to walk 6 m. Higher optimism at baseline was also associated with maintaining healthier functioning on 2 of the 3 performance measures over time, including less decline in walking speed and in number of chair stands women could perform over 6 years of follow-up. Given experimental studies suggesting that optimism is modifiable, it may be a promising target for interventions to slow age-related declines in physical functioning. Future work should explore associations of optimism with maintenance of physical functioning in diverse populations.

Quality of life and its association with predictors in lung transplant recipients: a latent profile analysis

Backgrounds

Improving quality of life (QOL) is one of the main aims of lung transplantation (LTx). There is a need to identify those who have poor quality of life early. However, research addressing inter individual quality of life variability among them is lacking. This study aims to identify group patterns in quality of life among lung transplant recipients and examine the predictors associated with quality of life subgroups.

Methods

In total, 173 lung transplant recipients were recruited from one hospital in Guangdong Province between September 2022 and August 2023. They were assessed using the Lung Transplant Quality of Life scale (LT-QOL), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Life Orientation Test-Revised scale (LOT-R), and Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). Latent profile analysis was used to identify QOL subtypes, and logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between latent profiles and sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics.

Results

Two distinct QOL profiles were identified: "low HRQOL" profile [N = 53 (30.94%)] and "high HRQOL" profile [N = 120 (69.06%)]. Single lung transplant recipients, and patients who reported post-transplant infection, high levels of negative emotion or low levels of mindfulness and optimism were significantly correlated with the low QOL subgroup.

Conclusion

Using the domains of the LT-QOL scale, two profiles were identified among the lung transplant recipients. Our findings highlighted that targeted intervention should be developed based on the characteristics of each latent class, and timely attention must be paid to patients who have undergone single lung transplantation, have had a hospital readmission due to infection, exhibit low levels of optimism, low levels of mindfulness or high negative emotions.

Where Does Hope Lie? The Dialectical Tensions Between Hopes and Expectations of Vocational Transition Planning from the Perspectives of Autistic Young Adults, Parents, and Practitioners

The post-secondary transition for autistic youth is a complex process, with hopes and expectations serving as malleable mediators often overlooked in research and practice. Career awareness, exploration, and counseling services play a critical role in facilitating vocational transition, but the vocational hopes and expectations of autistic youth and their parents are often disregarded. This study aims to explore these aspirations and their impact on the vocational transition process, seeking to harmonize elements to better align with the needs of autistic youth and their families. This study used a focus group design involving group interviews with three participant groups: autistic transition-aged youth, parents, and practitioners. The findings reveal five key themes: 1) Accepting Disability or Constrained by Ableism: Resisting Marginalization, 2) Finding the Sweet Spot: Are Parents and Youth's Expectations Too High or Too Low, 3) Market Forces at Work-Finding a Meaningful Vocational Path in a Capitalist Society, 4) Despite Meticulous Planning, there is a Disconnect Between Needs and Resources, and 5) The Hills and Valleys of Finding Resilience. Navigating the multifaceted landscape of vocational transition planning for autistic youth necessitates a collaborative and flexible approach. Identified tensions serve as opportunities for growth and transformation. Recognizing and addressing system shortcomings is crucial for informed decision-making. Challenges extend beyond individual circumstances, reflecting broader systemic issues, and identifying these gaps allows for a comprehensive understanding of available resources, cultivating a basis of hope as uncertainties are addressed.

Does the State Impact Hope? The Impact of Direct and Vicarious Police Contact on the Optimism of Youth in Large Cities

A growing body of research has begun to examine the implications of police contact for youth. Largely emphasizing serious police contact (arrest, court involvement, and incarceration), this scholarship has generally found that police contact is associated with negative health and educational outcomes. In this study, we build on this work by examining the implications of direct and vicarious police contact for youth attitudes towards the future, both generally and with respect to graduating college. Using multivariate regression models that incorporated a wide range of control variables and data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we found that youth who experienced police stops without an arrest were less optimistic in general and with respect to college graduation. We found the same for youth who experienced vicarious police contact, but for youth who experienced arrest we only found a significant reduction in optimism with respect to college graduation. Therefore, based on our findings and prior scholarship, we argue that social workers should push policymakers to move beyond the status quo and to make significant changes to how they go about promoting public safety.

Investigating the combined and unique contributions of positive psychological traits to sleep and exploring emotion regulation as a common mediator

The identification of variables which facilitate good quality and quantity sleep represents an important step in tackling the current global sleep loss epidemic. Previous research has established links between good sleep and the positive psychological traits of mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude and optimism. However, studies have typically focused on single traits, limiting understanding of their collective and independent associations. The two studies reported here address this gap by exploring the combined and unique contributions of mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude and optimism to sleep; Study 2 further investigated emotion regulation as a common underlying mechanism. Participants in both studies (Study 1 N = 268; Study 2 N = 333) completed online questionnaires assessing the four positive psychological traits and sleep quality and quantity; participants in Study 2 also completed measures of adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation. Multiple regression analyses revealed that mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude and optimism collectively accounted for 24.96% (Study 1) and 15.81% (Study 2) of the variance in overall sleep quality and quantity. Optimism and mindfulness emerged as significant linear predictors in their own right, with higher levels of optimism and mindfulness respectively being associated with better sleep. Study 2 further identified maladaptive emotion regulation as a common mediating mechanism. Findings highlight the importance of positive psychological traits in relation to sleep and indicate that optimism and mindfulness might make unique contributions to the prediction of sleep outcomes. Findings also flag emotion regulation as a potential common mediator of associations between positive psychological traits and sleep.

Distinct associations between gratitude, self-esteem, and optimism with subjective and psychological well-being among Japanese individuals

BACKGROUND

Mounting evidence suggests that the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions is influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural context. Identifying intervention targets that can effectively contribute to improving individual well-being under these boundary conditions is a crucial step when developing viable interventions. To this end, we examined how gratitude disposition, self-esteem, and optimism relate to the subjective well-being (SWB) and psychological well-being (PWB) of Japanese individuals.

METHODS

Multivariate regression analysis was employed to quantify the unique relationships between the three potential intervention targets and both SWB and PWB, while accounting for the influence of other variables. Participants (N = 71) also engaged in a 4-week experience sampling study to explore how gratitude, self-esteem and optimism shape the link between momentary affective states in everyday life and evaluations of day satisfaction.

RESULTS

Multivariate regression analysis revealed that self-esteem was predominantly more strongly associated with SWB compared to gratitude disposition, whereas gratitude disposition was more strongly associated with the PWB dimensions, particularly personal growth, positive relations with others and purpose in life. Experience sampling data indicated that while both gratitude disposition and self-esteem moderated the association between momentary positive affect and day satisfaction evaluations, they did so in opposite ways; greater gratitude disposition strengthened the association, while greater self-esteem weakened it.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the current results suggest that while gratitude, self-esteem, and optimism influence individual well-being as a whole, they likely play distinct roles in facilitating SWB and PWB in the studied cohort.

Perceived risk, illness perception and dispositional optimism related to COVID-19 among oncologic outpatients undergoing in-hospital treatments and healthy controls

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore risk estimations (perceived risk, dispositional optimism) related to COVID-19 perception and distress in oncologic outpatients undergoing active hospital treatments compared to the general population.

DESIGN AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Data were collected during the Italian lockdown on 150 oncologic outpatients and a sample of 150 healthy subjects. They completed a battery of questionnaires including the Perceived Risk scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Life Orientation Test- Revised and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and a moderated mediation model were performed to test the study hypotheses.

RESULTS

The moderated mediation model attested significant conditional indirect associations of both clinical status and dispositional optimism with distress through the mediation of COVID-19 perceived risk. Healthy individuals and less optimistic people were more likely than others to report higher psychological distress only when they showed neutral or negative COVID-19-related illness perception.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer patients manifest a lower risk perception and a more positive illness representation related to COVID-19 compared to control subjects; the distress level is not associated with the clinical status, but it is moderated by illness perception. Adequate protective behaviors in cancer patients may avoid a dangerous underestimation of objective risks.

Self-managing symptoms of Long COVID: an education and strategies research protocol

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-COV-2 (PASC) is growing in prevalence, and involves symptoms originating from the central neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, autonomic nervous, or immune systems. There are non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and brain fog, which cannot be ascribed to a single system. PASC places a notable strain on our healthcare system, which is already laden with a large number of acute-COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, it impedes social, academic and vocational functioning, and impacts family life, relationships, and work/financial life. The treatment for PASC needs to target this non-specific etiology and wide-ranging sequelae. In conditions similar to PASC, such as "chemo brain," and prolonged symptoms of concussion, the non-specific symptoms have shown to be effectively managed through education and strategies for self-management and Mindfulness interventions. However, such interventions have yet to be empirically evaluated in PASC to our knowledge. In response to this gap, we have developed a virtual education intervention synthesized by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists for the current study. We will undertake a two-phase randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility (Phase 1; N = 90) and efficacy (Phase 2; sample sized based on phase 1 results) of the novel 8 week Education and Self-Management Strategies group compared to a mindfulness skills program, both delivered virtually. Main outcomes include confidence/ability to self-manage symptoms, quality of life, and healthcare utilization. This study stands to mitigate the deleterious intrusiveness of symptoms on everyday life in patients with PASC, and may also help to reduce the impact of PASC on the healthcare system. Clinical trial registration:https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05268523; identifier NCT05268523.

The role of mental health and protective factors in student academic persistence and retention during a global crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated challenges for millions of students globally, leading to enrollment cliff. This study addresses the existing research gap by investigating the influence of students' mental health and various protective factors (i.e., optimism, help-seeking behaviors, social support) on academic persistence, an indicator of student retention. We utilized the structural equation modeling approach to examine the effect of students' mental health conditions, risk perception of COVID-19 and protective factors on academic persistence through a sample of 1,051 students from 45 states. Students' mental health positively predicted academic persistence. Risk perception of COVID-19 was negatively associated with mental health but positively predicted academic persistence and help-seeking behaviors. Optimism fully mediated the effect of mental health on help-seeking behaviors but did not mediate the effect of risk perception on help-seeking behaviors. Social support positively predicted academic persistence. This study underscores the integral role of mental health and protective factors in supporting student retention. Universities should develop targeted programs to address students' mental health needs and promote protective behaviors. These initiatives can enhance academic persistence, thereby aiding in the retention of students affected by this pandemic or any future global crisis.

Mindfulness, coping, and optimism as mechanisms of change in the 3RP-NF intervention

INTRODUCTION

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is chronic neurogenetic condition that increases risk for poor quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Given the lack of biomedical treatments, we developed the "Relaxation Response Resiliency for NF" (3RP-NF) program to improve psychosocial outcomes among adults with NF.

OBJECTIVE

To move toward effectiveness testing, we must understand mechanisms that explained treatment effects. We tested whether our hypothesized mechanisms of change-mindfulness, coping, and optimism-mediated improvements in quality of life, depression, and anxiety among adults in the 3RP-NF program (N = 114; ages 18-70; 72.80% female; 81.58% White).

METHODS

We conducted mixed-effects models to assess whether these mechanisms uniquely mediated outcomes.

RESULTS

Improvements in quality of life were most explained by coping, (b = 0.97, SE = 0.28, CI [0.45, 1.56]), followed by mindfulness (b = 0.46, SE = 0.17, CI [0.15, 0.82]) and optimism (b = 0.39, SE = 0.12, CI [0.17, 0.65]). Improvements in depression and anxiety were most explained by mindfulness (b = -1.52, SE = 0.38, CI [-2.32, -0.85], CSIE = -0.26; b = -1.29, SE = 0.35, CI [-2.04, -0.67], CSIE = -0.23), followed by optimism (b = 0.39, SE = 0.12, CI [0.17, 0.65]; b = -0.49, SE = 0.20, CI [-0.91, -0.13]), but were not explained by coping (b = 0.22, SE = 0.43, CI [-0.62, 1.07]; b = 0.06, SE = 0.46, CI [-0.84, 0.97]), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeting mindfulness, coping, and optimism in psychosocial interventions may be a promising way to improve the lives of adults with NF.

Resilience and Disaster: Flexible Adaptation in the Face of Uncertain Threat

Disasters cause sweeping damage, hardship, and loss of life. In this article, we first consider the dominant psychological approach to disasters and its narrow focus on psychopathology (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder). We then review research on a broader approach that has identified heterogeneous, highly replicable trajectories of outcome, the most common being stable mental health or resilience. We review trajectory research for different types of disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Next, we consider correlates of the resilience trajectory and note their paradoxically limited ability to predict future resilient outcomes. Research using machine learning algorithms improved prediction but has not yet illuminated the mechanism behind resilient adaptation. To that end, we propose a more direct psychological explanation for resilience based on research on the motivational and mechanistic components of regulatory flexibility. Finally, we consider how future research might leverage new computational approaches to better capture regulatory flexibility in real time.

Impact of pregnancy/childbirth on dispositional optimism in the context of risk of depression, mental health status and satisfaction with life

Introduction

Life optimism is an inseparable element accompanying every human being. It takes different values depending on the life situation. The present study aimed to measure the level of dispositional optimism in postpartum and pregnant women, compared to women who are not pregnant and have never given birth in Poland, Greece, Turkey, Belarus, and Russia, depending on the level of life satisfaction, risk of depression and mental health.

Materials and methods

A case-control study was carried out among 2017 women, including 584 pregnant women, 528 postpartum women, and 906 women who had never been pregnant and had never given birth (control group) from Poland, Greece, Turkey, Belarus, and Russia.The study used the LOT-R Life Orientation Test, the Beck Depression Scale (BDI), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), the GHQ- 28, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) - only in the postpartum group.

Results

Women from the control group showed an average level of optimism, obtaining an average of 16 points in Belarus, 13.4 points in Poland, 13.3 points in Greece, 13.5 points in Turkey, and Russia - 16.3 points. Pregnant women from Belarus had a high level of optimism (17 points), and in other countries, an average level of optimism was in Poland - 14.5 points, Greece - 14.0 points, Turkey - 14.3 points, and Russia - 16.5 points. Women after childbirth had a high level of optimism in Belarus (17.4 points) and Russia (17.2 points), and in other countries had the average level of optimism. In these countries, the lowest level of optimism was found in non-pregnant women. No significant correlation between age and life optimism was found in any group. In Poland, life optimism increased with age in women who had never been pregnant, and in Turkey, in women who were pregnant and after childbirth.

Conclusion

Pregnant women from Belarus had a higher level of optimism than other countries. Non-pregnant women had an average level of optimism. Future studies should include larger groups of women and consider other factors that may additionally contribute to dispositional optimism.

The effect of gratitude on death anxiety is fully mediated by optimism in Lebanese adults following the 2023 earthquake

BACKGROUND

Exploring the levels of death anxiety and factors that can undermine its impact are crucial for the Lebanese nationals. Even though studies have shown various relationships between death anxiety and several factors, very few to no research has been done to show the relationship of death anxiety, gratitude and optimism. Therefore, the objectives of our study were to assess the mediating role of optimism in the association between gratitude and death anxiety, along with investigating the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Death Anxiety Scale.

METHODS

A one-time-point online survey was conducted among Arabic-speaking community adults from the general population of Lebanon (N = 601; mean age 29.91 ± 12.61; 62.7% females). The following scales were used: Scale of Death Anxiety, Optimism-Pessimism Short Scale-2, and Gratitude Questionnaire-Six-Item Form.

RESULTS

The results of the mediation analysis showed that optimism fully mediated the association between gratitude and death anxiety. Higher gratitude was significantly associated with more optimism; higher optimism was significantly associated with less death anxiety. Finally, higher gratitude was not directly associated with death anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Our study reveals the relationship between gratitude and death anxiety and the mediating role of optimism. Our results need to be confirmed in a longitudinal study, but point to the importance of assessing optimism in prevention and management of persons with death anxiety.

'Turbulence even in a bubble': a reflexive thematic analysis with family caregivers of people with dementia in the United Kingdom during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to understand how family caregivers of people with dementia managed changes caused by COVID-19 restrictions and how they adjusted to the lifting of restrictions. A particular focus of the study was on understanding the impact of social isolation, a reduction of social interactions, and reduced access to healthcare services.

METHODS AND MEASURES

Fourteen voluntary caregivers (nine women) were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified based on reflexive thematic analysis: (i) Outlets to cope with lockdown; (ii) 'Not all doom and gloom': A silver lining amid COVID-19; (iii) Optimism helps provide resilience; (iv) The challenges and joys of reopening; and (v) Caregiving toward a new normality.

CONCLUSION

The research highlighted difficulties reported by family caregivers and people with dementia during COVID-19, while also showing how such carers coped. Interviews also identified ways that family caregivers often used optimism to help navigate through lockdown and to tackle the reopening stage. Family caregivers in this study reported coping well overall, but welcomed the lifting of restrictions.

Psychometric Properties of a New Mexican Optimism Scale: Ethnopsychological Approach

BACKGROUND

In this paper, a Mexican Optimism Scale was constructed to investigate and estimate psychometric properties (reliability and validity based on the measurement model). The convergent validity and validity criterion were evaluated for a sample of young Mexicans.

METHODS

The scale was presented to 848 Mexican young people aged between 17 and 30 years from three different regions of Mexico. The scale was reduced to 20 items on the basis of CFA and analyses of internal consistency.

RESULTS

The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested a three-factor structure of optimism: affective resources, positive vision and hope. The data provided evidence for convergent validity with positive affect, negative affect and coping. Additionally, males scored higher on affective resources and positive vision than females. Finally, the results support the reliability of the instrument.

CONCLUSIONS

The psychometric properties of the Mexican Optimism Scale proved to be highly acceptable and allow for a novel assessment of optimism from an ethnopsychological perspective. Validity, reliability and invariance were determined, as well as percentiles for the practical use of the scale. This scale may be of crucial importance for future research on optimism and health.

Quality of life profiles and its association with predictors amongst Chinese older adults in nursing homes: a latent profile analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently developments in the field of positive psychology have provided new perspectives for understanding the connection between individual variation in Quality of life (QoL) and positive aspects of human potential, strengths, and resources, commanding increasing attention. This study aimed to examine self-reported quality of life (QoL) profiles and the association of QoL profiles with positive psychosocial characteristics in Chinese older adults.

METHODS

A convenient sample of 354 older adults in nursing homes was recruited from Guangdong Province, China, between November 2020 and January 2021. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was conducted to explore QoL profiles using the four WHOQOL-BREF domains as input variables. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to explore the association between latent profiles and predictors.

RESULTS

LPA identified three latent QoL profiles: "low QoL with poor psychological health" (18.1%), "moderate QoL" (46.0%) and "high QoL" (35.9%). Frequency of weekly activity, optimism, gratitude, and social support were associated with the increased likelihood of belonging to the moderate-to-high QoL classes. Furthermore, Class 2 (moderate QoL group, reference) was compared with Class3 (high QoL group), higher frequency of weekly physical activity and spending more time on physical activity exhibited higher odds of belonging to high QoL class.

CONCLUSION

Using the domains of the WHOQOL-BREF scale, the QoL profiles Chinese older adults can be identified. We found that psychosocial variables and demographic characteristic, including lower level of optimism and gratitude, lack of social support, low frequency of physical activity, and shorter activity duration time, heighten the risk for lower levels of QoL. Identifying classification may help focus on those at elevated risk for poor QoL and for developing tailored QoL improvement programs.

Early pregnancy dispositional optimism and pregnancy outcomes among nulliparous people

BACKGROUND

Dispositional optimism, the expectation of positive outcomes after personal challenges, is a resilience factor associated with widespread health benefits. However, the data on pregnancy-related outcomes are more limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the association of early pregnancy dispositional optimism with adverse perinatal outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective cohort study completed between May 2019 and February 2022 at a single, large tertiary medical center. Nulliparous pregnant people were recruited from outpatient obstetrical care sites. Participants completed a validated assessment of dispositional optimism at <20 weeks of gestation and were followed up until delivery. The primary outcome was an adverse maternal outcome composite that included gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and/or cesarean delivery. The secondary outcomes included individual composite components and a neonatal morbidity composite. Bivariate analyses compared characteristics and primary and secondary outcomes by dispositional optimism score quartile. Multivariable logistic regression compared outcomes by dispositional optimism score quartile with the highest quartile serving as the referent, controlling for confounders determined a priori.

RESULTS

Overall, 491 pregnant people were approached for participation, and 135 pregnant people (27.5%) declined participation. Among the 284 individuals who enrolled and had complete outcome data, the median dispositional optimism score was 16.0 (interquartile range, 14-18), and 47.9% of individuals experienced at least 1 adverse maternal outcome 135 (47.9%). After adjusting for confounders, the odds of adverse maternal outcomes were significantly higher in the lowest 2 optimism quartiles: quartile 1 (adjusted odds ratio, 3.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-7.36) and quartile 2 (adjusted odds ratio, 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-4.79) than the highest quartile. This was driven by significantly higher rates of hypertension (quartile 1: adjusted odds ratio, 2.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-6.29) and cesarean delivery (quartile 1: adjusted odds ratio, 2.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-6.55). There was no difference noted when quartile 3 was compared with quartile 4.

CONCLUSION

Lower early pregnancy dispositional optimism was associated with significantly higher odds of adverse maternal outcomes. Interventions targeting improvements in optimism may be a novel mechanism for reducing perinatal morbidity.

Gender differences in optimism, loss aversion and attitudes towards risk

Systematic differences in the attitudes of men and women towards risk is well established. In this paper, we investigate the joint role of two prominent psychological characteristics in explaining this difference. Our starting point is that risk assessments can be thought of, in general terms, to combine beliefs about the probability of negative outcomes occurring with a subjective valuation of how painful that negative outcome would be. Exploiting large-scale panel data from the United Kingdom, we find that gender differences in financial optimism and financial loss aversion - the stronger psychological response to monetary losses than monetary gains - explain a substantial proportion of the parallel gender difference in willingness to take risks. This result prevails even after controlling for the Big Five personality traits, suggesting that the prominent psychological characteristics capture different aspects of behaviour than the Big Five.

Supporting conservationists' mental health through better working conditions

Biodiversity conservation work can be challenging but rewarding, and both aspects have potential consequences for conservationists' mental health. Yet, little is known about patterns of mental health among conservationists and its associated workplace protective and risk factors. A better understanding might help improve working conditions, supporting conservationists' job satisfaction, productivity, and engagement, while reducing costs from staff turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism. We surveyed 2311 conservation professionals working in 122 countries through an internet survey shared via mailing lists, social media, and other channels. We asked them about experiences of psychological distress, working conditions, and personal characteristics. Over half were from and worked in Europe and North America, and most had a university-level education, were in desk-based academic and practitioner roles, and responded in English. Heavy workload, job demands, and organizational instability were linked to higher distress, but job stability and satisfaction with one's contributions to conservation were associated with lower distress. Respondents with low dispositional and conservation-specific optimism, poor physical health, and limited social support, women, and early-career professionals were most at risk of distress in our sample. Our results flag important risk factors that employers could consider, although further research is needed among groups underrepresented in our sample. Drawing on evidence-based occupational health interventions, we suggest measures that could promote better working conditions and thus may improve conservationists' mental health and abilities to protect nature.

Exploring the Role of Resilience and Optimism during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Older European Adults

This study examined how resilience and optimism were related to psychological well-being among older European adults during the early pandemic. The study used data sampled from the Eurofound COVID-19 survey conducted in 27 European countries during the first lockdown (April 2020). The study sample included 10,674 older adults (mean age = 69.71 ± 5.15, 68.6% women, 87.3% retired). Using structural equation modeling, the relationship between pandemic adversities, resilience, optimism, and well-being was investigated. Results indicated that resilience and optimism in part mediated the association between adversities and psychological well-being. Resilience and optimism have the potential to help older adults cope with stressful life events and other adversities. Future studies should more precisely explore the role of resilience and optimism, its formation, and the protective mechanisms that promote the psychological well-being of older adults.

CBT program to reduce recidivism risk for road crashes among adolescents and young adults: Results of a randomized controlled study and prospects

Road crashes are the first cause of mortality for young adults aged 18-25 years and the human factor contributes to 90-95% of events. The present study was carried out to determine the efficacity of the ECARR2 recurrence prevention program among adolescents and young adults at high risk of having a new traffic crash in the following months. A total of 288 participants having had a traffic crash that required going to the emergency room, at high risk of accident recurrence (ECARR≥5) were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 144) or the control group (n = 144).

Results

revealed that the risk of recurrence was highest during the first 6 months (66% of recurrences). In per-protocol analysis population, at 6 months after inclusion, the accident recurrence rate was 14.2% ± 3.3% in the intervention group, and 23.5% ± 4.0% in the control group. The intervention had an effect per se, independently of the other predictors (p = 0.020). This effect was mediated by the three interaction variables: BDI, Impulsive Behavior Scale lack of perseverance, and Orientation to Happiness engagement. It was therefore through these dimensions that the intervention had an effect. In conclusion, the ECARR score predicts the risk of recurrence, risk which is the highest during the first 6 months. Finally, results confirm the predictive validity of the ECARR scale. The ECARR score had an effect on the risk of recurrence regardless of group (p = 0.045) and was predictive of recurrence (p = 0.045).A brief psychological intervention such as ECARR2 program, offered to young people ar hight risk of having a new crash, just after the crash, seems to halve the risk of recurrence at 6 months. Future research should improve the brief psychological intervention and its access via a mobile application or few hours in high school or in a driving school given.

The Roles of Personal and Environmental Resources in Predicting Work-Family Facilitation and Mental Health among Employed Parents of Children with Disabilities in Croatia

Quantitative research on the positive aspects of work-life integration and the well-being of families with children with disabilities is scarce, especially in the national context. The family can provide gains that enhance work domain functioning (family-to-work facilitation; FWF), and work can provide gains that enhance family domain functioning (work-to-family facilitation; WFF). The aim of this study is to examine the contributions of some personal and environmental resources in explaining WFF and FWF and the mental health of parents of children with disabilities residing in Croatia. The mediational role of WFF and FWF in the relationship between resources and mental health was tested, while controlling for some general socio-demographic variables. A total of 571 employed parents of a child/children with disabilities completed an online self-assessment questionnaire. The results show that higher WFF (19%) was predicted by higher levels of social support at work, a higher level of education, posttraumatic growth (PTG) of personal strength, and recovery management. Higher FWF (46%) was predicted by higher levels of social support in the family, PTG of personal strength, the emotional regulation strategy of reorienting to planning, optimism, a younger age, the male gender, a greater number of children, and a higher level of education. A higher level of mental health (47%) was predicted directly by higher levels of optimism, recovery management, FWF, emotional regulation strategies of positive refocusing and planning, and a greater number of children, and was indirectly predicted by all the predictors of FWF through a higher level of FWF (but not WFF).

Hope, optimism, and pessimism as predictors of positive and negative psychological changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovak adults

Background and objectives

Positive and negative changes in outlook represent psychological changes that are the results of the cognitive processing of stressful and traumatic events by an individual. The objectives of the study were (1) to determine the level of occurrence and types of positive and negative changes in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in Slovakia and (2) to study the role of personality factors such as hope (dispositional and perceived) and life orientation (optimism and pessimism) in the prediction of positive and negative changes in adults during the fourth pandemic wave.

Methods

A Short Form of the Changes in Outlook Questionnaire (CiOQ-S), the Dispositional Hope Scale (DHS), the Perceived Hope Scale (PHS), and the Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) were administered. The research sample consisted of 102 participants, whose ages ranged from 20 to 65 years (Mage = 38.90, SD = 14.28). The research design was quantitative, exploratory, and confirmatory.

Results

In total, 95% of participants reported positive changes related to COVID-19. Concurrently, up to 70% of these participants also reported negative changes from the impact of the pandemic. Only 25% of participants reported positive changes without noticing any negative perception of the consequences of the pandemic. Overall, 68% of participants reported negative changes related to COVID-19. Only 29% of participants reported negative changes without noticing any positive perception of the consequences of the pandemic. In total, up to 86% of participants agreed with experienced psychological changes (positive or negative) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The high prevalence of positive changes along with the relatively high prevalence of negative changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic outline the question of whether reported positive changes represent real or illusory growth. Optimism and pessimism were found to be significant independent predictors of positive changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hope was identified as a significant independent predictor of negative changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relationships between mastery, forgiveness, optimism, and resilience, and PTSD and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating emotional consequences. The present study aimed to examine the relationships between personal resources and emotional distress while accounting for COVID-19-related variables. Seven hundred and seventy-seven (N = 777) participants completed demographic, mastery, forgiveness, optimism, resilience, PTSD, and anxiety questionnaires. A stepped hierarchical multiple regression revealed that mastery, forgiveness, cultural group, age, acquaintance with a person who died of COVID-19, and having been infected with COVID-19 contributed significantly to the explained variance in PTSD symptoms. Mastery, forgiveness, optimism, age, and acquaintance with a person who died of COVID-19 contributed significantly to the explained variance in anxiety. However, resilience was not found to significantly contribute to the explained variance in PTSD symptoms or anxiety. This study demonstrates the importance of being aware of both PTSD symptoms and anxiety associated with COVID-19. Thus, it is suggested that therapy programs should pay special attention to mastery and forgiveness as coping resources. In addition, among medical and mental-health personnel awareness should be given to individuals who have been in close acquaintance with those who died of COVID-19, those with COVID-19 risk factors, and those who have been infected. Special attention should also be paid to minority groups as they might tend to experience more emotional distress and trauma symptoms.

Mental health in Canadian children and adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic: the role of personality and, coping and stress responses

In December 2019, the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic first emerged in China and quickly spread to other countries. Previous studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences have negatively impacted the mental health of adults. Individual differences such as personality could contribute to mental health. Furthermore, coping and responses to stress may affect an individual's response to the pandemic. In the past, studies have only investigated this relationship in adults. In the current study, we examine how personality traits (using the Five-Factor Model as our framework) and Coping and Response to COVID-19 stress are related to the mental health of Canadian children and adolescents during the pandemic. Using parent reports of 100 preschoolers and 607 6-18-year-old children, we performed multiple regression analysis to explore how personality traits predict the effects of COVID-19 on mental health. The results showed that personality traits are associated with the mental health of Canadian youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. In preschoolers, Neuroticism and Agreeableness predicted the most mental health problems, and in 6-18-year-old children, Extraversion negatively predicted the most mental health problems. Also, Openness to Experience was the weakest predictor of mental health status in Canadian youth. These findings could be useful in understanding children's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and could assist public health services delivering mental health services specifically tailored to children's personalities during and after this pandemic.

The relationship between optimism, MCI, and dementia among postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVES

The relationship between optimism and cognitive functioning is not fully understood. We examined the association of optimism with risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS).

METHODS

Optimism was measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) total score, and optimism and pessimism subscales. A panel of experts adjudicated cognitive endpoints based on annual cognitive assessments. We used cox proportional hazard regression models to examine the association of LOT-R total score and optimism and pessimism sub-scores with MCI/dementia. We also examined the relationship between vascular disease, LOT-R total score, optimism and pessimism, and cognition.

RESULTS

Mean age was 70.5 (SD = 3.9) years. The sample (N = 7249) was 87% white, and 29.8% of participants had < 12 years of education. Total LOT-R score (HR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94, 0.98, p < 0.001) was associated with lower risk of combined MCI or dementia. More pessimism (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.11, p < 0.0001) was associated with higher risk of MCI or dementia after adjustment for ethnicity, education, vascular disease, and depression. No significant relationships emerged from the optimism subscale.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that less pessimism, but not more optimism, was associated with a lower risk of MCI and dementia.

The para-hippocampal-medial frontal gyrus functional connectivity mediates the relationship between dispositional optimism and procrastination

Procrastination is a prevalent phenomenon throughout the world, which can lead to worse consequences across life domains, such as academic performance, mental health, and even public policy. Despite the evidence for the association between dispositional optimism and procrastination, the neural mechanisms underlying this link remain unexplored. To address this issue, we employed voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) methods to explore the underlying links between dispositional optimism and procrastination in a large sample (N=408). The self-report results showed that dispositional optimism was negatively associated with procrastination (r= -.30, p<.001). The VBM analysis indicated that dispositional optimism was positively correlated with gray matter volumes (GMV) in the right para-hippocampal (rPHC), and negatively correlated with GMV in the left cerebellum. Moreover, the functional connectivity analysis with the rPHC as a seed region revealed that rPHC-rMFC (right medial frontal gyrus) functional connectivity was negatively associated with dispositional optimism. Furthermore, the mediation analysis showed that the rPHC-rMFC connectivity partially mediated the relationship between dispositional optimism and procrastination. These results suggested that the rPHC-rMFC connectivity engaged in less task aversiveness by episodic prospection may underlie the association between dispositional optimism and procrastination, which provides a new perspective to understand the relationship between dispositional optimism and procrastination. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Patients' experience with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for DLBCL in China: a qualitative study

PURPOSE

The experiences of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy have received little attention. This study aimed to explore the treatment experiences of patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell lymphoma during CAR T-cell therapy in China.

METHODS

This descriptive qualitative study was conducted using face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 21 DLBCL patients 0-2 years after CAR-T infusion. Two researchers independently coded the interviews in MAXQDA 2022, and the original data were analyzed by conventional content analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged from the transcripts: (1) physiological distress, (2) functional impacts, (3) psychological experience, and (4) support requirement. Participants expressed 29 short-term or long-term symptoms related to their disease and treatment, influencing their daily life and function in a social setting. The participants expressed different negative emotions, polarized expectations about efficacy, and over-reliance on authoritative medical care. Their major concerns and hopes were achieving life goals, being treated with respect, obtaining more information about CAR T-cell therapy, and receiving government financial sponsorship.

CONCLUSIONS

The patients experienced short-term and long-term symptoms of physical distress. Patients who have experienced failure in CAR T-cell therapy also experience strong negative emotions, such as dependency and guilt. They also require authentic spiritual and financial information that is authentic. Our study may guide the development of standardized and comprehensive nursing care for R/R DLBCL patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy in China.

Psychosocial Care Needs of Women with Breast Cancer: Body Image, Self-Esteem, Optimism, and Sexual Performance and Satisfaction

As breast cancer is on the rise, it is essential to understand the consequences of the diagnosis for patients. This article investigates whether there are differences in different psychosocial variables in Spanish women with breast cancer according to the type of surgery the patients underwent and in comparison with a control group. A study was carried out in the north of Spain in which 54 women participated (27 women were the control group, and 27 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer). The results of the study indicate that women with breast cancer have lower self-esteem and worse body image, sexual performance, and sexual satisfaction than women in the control group. No differences were found in optimism. These variables do not differ according to the type of surgery the patients underwent. The findings confirm the need to work on these variables in women diagnosed with breast cancer in psychosocial intervention programs.

Pre-operative and early postoperative health-related quality of life of breast cancer woman: a Lebanese prospective study

Breast cancer (BC) is a major health concern in Lebanon, with an increasing incidence rate due to advancements in treatment modalities. Evaluating the impact of the BC and its treatment on a woman's Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and comparing these patterns before and after breast conserving surgery is important to identify areas where interventions may be needed to improve the overall well-being of women with BC. This study aimed to evaluate the HRQoL pre and post-operative breast conserving surgery and just prior to initiation of adjuvant therapy in newly diagnosed patients with BC in Lebanon, specifically focusing on changes in body image. A prospective cohort study was conducted on 120 patients in two health care facilities in Lebanon, collecting sociodemographic and clinical data, and using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires to evaluate HRQoL. The outcomes were measured at baseline and then one-day post-operative breast surgery. Results revealed a statistically and clinically significant decrease in body image (mean difference of 8.1 points (95% 4.3;11.1)), physical functioning (mean difference of 6.1 points (95% 3.3;8.5)), and emotional functioning (mean difference of -8.4 points (95%-12.4; -4.9) after surgery. Positive change of physical functioning score was observed among married women. Positive change of emotional functioning score was observed among patients with poor body image score and high future perspective score. Our findings provide valuable insights for clinicians and researchers on the impact of breast conserving surgery on HRQoL in Lebanese women.

Perceived Discrimination in School: a Longitudinal Look at the Impact on Expectations and Health

The purpose of the study was to look at levels of perceived discrimination in school among students of different races and to assess whether there are significant short- or long-term effects as they develop. This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which is a multi-stage nationally representative study of individuals who were in 7th-12th grade during the 1994-1995 school year. Responses on teacher discrimination items showed that Black students reported the highest levels of perceived teacher discrimination. Educational expectations were lowest for Hispanic students. At wave three, participants who identified their race/ethnicity as Hispanic or other reported the worst overall health, whereas at wave four, White participants had significantly better overall health than the other three groups. Teacher discrimination was found to be a significant predictor for educational expectations, income expectations, and overall health eight and 15 years later. When stratified by race, higher teacher discrimination predicted lower educational expectations and poorer overall health eight years later for Black, Hispanic, and White students.

The influence of high-quality workplace relational systems and mindfulness on employee work engagement at the time of crises

Workplace relational systems move the organizational processes therefore, the influence on employee work behavior is inevitable. Drawing on the relational systems and broaden & build theory, this study aimed to examine the impact of high-quality workplace relational systems and trait of mindfulness on employee work engagement. This study also posits that psychological capital mediates this relationship and negative affectivity plays a moderating role. Data was collected from 331 employees associated with the public and private sectors. PLS-SEM, Higher Component Modeling technique employed to analyze the data. Results showed a positive association between high-quality workplace relational systems and mindfulness with employee work engagement. Data also support the mediating role of psychological capital. This study contributes to understanding the internal mechanism of how workplace relational systems and mindfulness affect work engagement through mediating effect of psychological capital. The findings of this study showed that high-quality workplace relational systems and mindfulness are workplace factors that induce employees' work engagement. The present study advances the knowledge on the flourishment of the work environment. The findings of this study also contribute to further focusing research on the relational work environment in its response to employee behavioral dimension.

A Review of the Mental Health Sequelae of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): Preparedness Perspective

Despite the three significant epidemics that have rattled the world in the last two decades, many questions remain unanswered! The concept of unwanted psychological distress remains looming after any epidemic or pandemic. The public health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic still resonates with different aspects of life with predicted mental health sequelae. This review will focus on the role of natural disasters and past infectious epidemic-related mental health complications. Additionally, the study provides recommendations and policy suggestions for mitigating COVID-19-related mental health prevalence.