Optimism and Coping Strategies Among Caucasian, Korean, and African American Older Women

Psychometric Analysis of the Modified Differential Emotions Scale and the Six-Item Life Orientation Test-Revised in a Cohort of Older Women from the Women's Health Initiative

Background: Positive affect and emotional resources, such as optimism, may play a major role in women's health and promote healthy well-being later in life. However, positive affect and optimism measures have not been psychometrically assessed in older women, despite relations to health. Therefore, the objective of this study was to psychometrically assess measures of positive affect and optimism and test their association with other measures of well-being. Methods: In a Women's Health Initiative subcohort of 58,810 women (mean age [standard deviation] 79.0 [6.1]; 89% White), positive affect and optimism were measured using the modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES) and Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), respectively. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. Performance was assessed using item response theory. Factor analysis was used to explore the construct validity of the LOT-R. Convergent and divergent validity with other well-being measures was tested. Results: Results suggest good reliability (mDES: Cronbach's alpha = 0.90 and omega total = 0.92; LOT-R: Cronbach's alpha = 0.79, omega hierarchical = 0.61, and omega total = 0.83). Item response analyses indicate mDES's ability to discriminate across positive affect; LOT-R was skewed toward lower optimism levels. Exploratory factor analyses suggest a two-factor solution for the LOT-R. Significant, but small correlations in expected directions to well-being measures confirmed validity hypotheses. Conclusions: The mDES and LOT-R measured positive affect and optimism with good reliability, item performance, and validity in a large sample of older postmenopausal women, supporting use of these measures to quantify effects of positive affect and optimism-promoting interventions.

Optimism and Longevity Among Japanese Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Optimism has been linked to better physical health across various outcomes, including greater longevity. However, most evidence is from Western populations, leaving it unclear whether these relationships may generalize to other cultural backgrounds. Using secondary data analysis, we evaluated the associations of optimism among older Japanese adults.

METHODS

Data were from a nationwide cohort study of Japanese older adults aged ≥65 years (Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study; n = 10,472). In 2010, optimism and relevant covariates (i.e., sociodemographic factors, physical health conditions, depressive symptoms, and health behaviors) were self-reported. Optimism was measured using the Japanese version of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). Lifespan was determined using mortality information from the public long-term care insurance database through 2017 (7-year follow-up). Accelerated failure time models examined optimism (quintiles or standardized continuous scores) in relation to percent differences in lifespan. Potential effect modification by gender, income, and education was also investigated.

RESULTS

Overall, 733 individuals (7%) died during the follow-up period. Neither continuous nor categorical levels of optimism were associated with lifespan after progressive adjustment for covariates (e.g., in fully-adjusted models: percent differences in lifespan per 1-SD increase in continuous optimism scores= -1.2%, 95%CI: -3.4, 1.1 higher versus lower optimism quintiles= -4.1%, 95%CI: -11.2, 3.6). The association between optimism and lifespan was null across all sociodemographic strata as well.

CONCLUSION

Contrary to the existing evidence from Western populations, optimism was unrelated to longevity among Japanese older adults. The association between optimism, as evaluated by the LOT-R, and longevity may differ across cultural contexts.

Developmental Trend of Subjective Well-Being of Weibo Users During COVID-19: Online Text Analysis Based on Machine Learning Method

Currently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic experienced by the international community has increased the usage frequency of borderless, highly personalized social media platforms of all age groups. Analyzing and modeling texts sent through social media online can reveal the characteristics of the psychological dynamic state and living conditions of social media users during the pandemic more extensively and comprehensively. This study selects the Sina Weibo platform, which is highly popular in China and analyzes the subjective well-being (SWB) of Weibo users during the COVID-19 pandemic in combination with the machine learning classification algorithm. The study first invokes the SWB classification model to classify the SWB level of original texts released by 1,322 Weibo active users during the COVID-19 pandemic and then combines the latent growth curve model (LGCM) and the latent growth mixture model (LGMM) to investigate the developmental trend and heterogeneity characteristics of the SWB of Weibo users after the COVID-19 outbreak. The results present a downward trend and then an upward trend of the SWB of Weibo users during the pandemic as a whole. There was a significant correlation between the initial state and the development rate of the SWB after the COVID-19 outbreak (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). LGMM results show that there were two heterogeneous classes of the SWB after the COVID-19 outbreak, and the development rate of the SWB of the two classes was significantly different. The larger class (normal growth group; n = 1,229, 93.7%) showed a slow growth, while the smaller class (high growth group; n = 93, 6.3%) showed a rapid growth. Furthermore, the slope means across the two classes were significantly different (p < 0.001). Therefore, the individuals with a higher growth rate of SWB exhibited stronger adaptability to the changes in their living environments. These results could help to formulate effective interventions on the mental health level of the public after the public health emergency outbreak.

Are Different Coping Styles Mitigating Perceived Stress Associated With Depressive Symptoms Among Pregnant Women?

PURPOSE

To test the direct and moderating effects of different coping styles in mitigating perceived stress associated with antenatal depressive symptoms among 755 women.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The Perceived Stress Scale, the Trait Coping Styles Questionnaire, and the Edinburgh Depressive Postnatal Scale were used to test different effects in multiple linear regression models.

FINDINGS

Direct effects of positive and negative coping styles were found. Positive coping styles have moderating effects on perceived stress but negative coping styles do not.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Health services should dedicate resources to teach women positive coping styles to decrease their vulnerability to developing antenatal depressive symptoms.

Different perceptions of stress, coping styles, and general well-being among pregnant Chinese women: a structural equation modeling approach

Few studies have examined different perceptions of stress or explored the positive aspects of well-being among pregnant Chinese women, so there is a need to explore these phenomena in order to fill the research gap. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships among the different perceptions of stress, coping styles, and general well-being using a structural equation modeling approach. We examined a hypothetical model among 755 pregnant Chinese women based on the integration of theoretical models. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Trait Coping Styles Questionnaire (TCSQ), and the General Well-Being Schedule (GWB) were used to measure perceived stress, coping styles, and general well-being, respectively. A structural equation model showed that positive and negative perceptions of stress significantly influenced positive and negative coping styles, respectively. Different perceptions of stress were significantly associated with general well-being, but different coping styles had no significant effects on general well-being. The model had a good fit to the data (IFI = 0.910, TLI = 0.904, CFI = 0.910, and RMSEA = 0.038). Different perception of stress was able to predict significant differences in coping styles and general well-being.

Testing direct and moderating effects of coping styles on the relationship between perceived stress and antenatal anxiety symptoms

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to test the direct and moderating effects of different coping styles in mitigating perceived stress associated with antenatal anxiety symptoms among 755 pregnant women in Chengdu.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire survey was carried out. The Perceived Stress Scale, the Trait Coping Style Questionnaire and the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale were used to measure stress, coping and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the direct and moderating effects of coping styles in the relationship between perceived stress and antenatal anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

Direct effects of negative coping (NC) styles were found. Women with higher NC scores were more likely to have anxiety symptoms. Positive coping (PC) styles had moderating effects on perceived stress, whereas NC styles did not.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study highlight the direct and moderating effects of coping styles. This knowledge is important to healthcare professionals in planning health service provision. Health services should dedicate resources to teaching pregnant women how to enhance PC styles, alter NC styles and cultivate optimistic thinking to alleviate anxiety symptoms.

Cultural and gender differences in coping strategies between Caucasian American and Korean American older people

Coping strategies have significant effects on older people's health. This study examined whether gender and ethnic differences influence the coping strategies chosen by older adults when they encounter daily life stressors. Data were collected from 444 community-dwelling people over the age of 65, including 238 Caucasian Americans and 206 Korean Americans. Results showed significant differences between the two groups. Korean Americans had higher scores on problem and emotion-focused coping strategies as well as avoidant coping strategies than Caucasian Americans. Caucasian older women employed more active coping, planning, and positive reframing skills; relied more on religion; and sought emotional support more than Caucasian men. For Korean Americans, older women utilized religion and denial; whereas older men employed instrumental support and substance abuse. The results suggest that practitioners should develop ethnic, gender-specific programs to help older adults cope more effectively with their daily life stressors.