Do the Emotional Benefits of Optimism Vary Across Older Adulthood? A Life Span Perspective

Journal of Personality
Carsten WroschMichael F Scheier

Abstract

This study examined whether the emotional benefits of dispositional optimism for managing stressful encounters decrease across older adulthood. Such an effect might emerge because age-related declines in opportunities for overcoming stressors could reduce the effectiveness of optimism. This hypothesis was tested in a 6-year longitudinal study of 171 community-dwelling older adults (age range = 64-90 years). Hierarchical linear models showed that dispositional optimism protected relatively young participants from exhibiting elevations in depressive symptoms over time, but that these benefits became increasingly reduced among their older counterparts. Moreover, the findings showed that an age-related association between optimism and depressive symptoms was observed particularly during periods of enhanced, as compared to reduced, stress. These results suggest that dispositional optimism protects emotional well-being during the early phases of older adulthood, but that its effects are reduced in advanced old age.

References

Feb 1, 1989·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·C S CarverJ K Weintraub
Dec 1, 1986·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·M F ScheierC S Carver
Jun 14, 2003·Quality of Life Research : an International Journal of Quality of Life Aspects of Treatment, Care and Rehabilitation·Carsten Wrosch, Michael F Scheier
Jul 20, 2004·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Laura D KubzanskyJoanna Maselko
May 1, 1964·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·R Atkinson
Jul 25, 2006·Personality and Social Psychology Review : an Official Journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc·Lise Solberg Nes, Suzanne C Segerstrom
Oct 13, 2006·Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology·Vicki S HelgesonPatricia L Tomich
Nov 7, 2006·Journal of Personality·Heather N RasmussenCharles S Carver
May 16, 2007·Health Psychology : Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·Carsten WroschErin Dunne
Jan 13, 2010·Psychological Review·Jutta HeckhausenRichard Schulz
Feb 23, 2010·Clinical Psychology Review·Charles S CarverSuzanne C Segerstrom
Nov 30, 2010·Social Indicators Research·Brendan M BairdM Brent Donnellan
May 15, 2013·Health Psychology : Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·Joelle JobinMichael F Scheier
Jun 14, 2013·JAMA Psychiatry·Angelina R SutinAlan B Zonderman
Mar 19, 2014·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Charles S Carver, Michael F Scheier

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 22, 2018·Aging & Mental Health·Isabel María Salces-CuberoAna Raquel Ortega-Martínez
Aug 16, 2018·Annual Review of Psychology·Jutta HeckhausenRichard Schulz
Mar 30, 2021·Journal of Health Psychology·Heather Herriot, Carsten Wrosch
Nov 30, 2021·Psicologia, Reflexão E Crítica : Revista Semestral Do Departamento De Psicologia Da UFRGS·Fabio Alexis Rincón UribeJanari da Silva Pedroso

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Health Psychology : Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association
Meaghan A BarlowCarsten Wrosch
The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Kira S Birditt
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry : Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
Robert H PietrzakDavid Darby
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved