Optimism And Health: A Longitudinal Study

Optimism and Health
Maritza Rivera
November 30, 2014
PSY220
Reed Daugherity

Optimism and Health
Throughout life we are confronted by many difficult situations however, how we deal with these situations will either enhance or deteriorate our physical and psychological health. When someone is optimistic they expect the most positive outcome possible under all circumstances. According to University of Phoenix, Positive Psychology, (2009), “optimism is an individual disposition or trait and an explanatory style describing how people characteristically interpret the causes of bad events in their lives”. Optimists are less likely to develop illness produced by stress such as anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease. Optimism reduces stress
This basically makes the argument that there is a relationship is some way of optimism, self-related and mental health. The study involved a longitudinal design of four years. Participants were assessed through the use of questionnaires, the first assessment took place in their fifth year of secondary education. The second assessment a few years later and the third assessment two years after. There were a total of 149 participants 83 females and 66 males who consistently participated in this study all were in the sixth grade at the commencement of the study and were in one of the four school in and around their community. In the beginning of the assessment the participants were around 16 years old and would complete their final assessment around 20 years of age. There were three different stages to this study at the first stage all participants were in school. At the second stage, 71 were in school, 32 were employed, 28 were unemployed and 12 were on a youth training scheme. In the third stage 47 were still in full-time education, 69 were employed, 32 were unemployed and 1 on a youth training
These outcomes measure the participant’s psychological distress, well-being and self-rated health. At stage one, the analysis used the Pearson’s correlation, this table showed that family size, work ethic and mastery at stage one interconnected with the participant’s psychological well-being across the three stages and with self-related health at stage three. According to the article “competitiveness, while not related to psychological well-being at stages 1 and 2, is correlated with psychological well-being at stage 3, and with self-rated health at stage 3. The direction of effect indicates that smaller family size, and higher scores on work ethic, competitiveness and mastery correspond to better psychological well-being and self-rated health. Optimism, work ethic, competitiveness and mastery measured at stage 2 correlated with psychological well-being at stages 2 and 3 and with self-rated health at stage 3. The direction of effect indicates that more optimistic thinking, and higher scores on work ethic, competitiveness and mastery go with better well-being and self-rated health,”(Social background, achievement motivation, optimism and health: a longitudinal study), (2009). In stage three four other factors are measured, acquisitiveness, dominance, pursuit of excellence and status aspiration. According to the article “there were significant correlations shown,