Of babies and bathwater: a reply to Coyne and Tennen's views on positive psychology and health

Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine
Lisa G Aspinwall, Richard G Tedeschi

Abstract

We disagree with several conclusions reached by Coyne and Tennen, as well as their interpretation of specific findings. First, we dispute that researchers have advanced the claim that positive thinking can cure disease. Second, we question their exclusive focus on cancer-related mortality, when strong cumulative evidence suggests that optimism is related to positive health outcomes for other major diseases, and that psychosocial interventions may improve other important cancer outcomes, such as reduced pain and increased quality of life. Third, we disagree sharply with their assessment of the literature on posttraumatic growth and the implications of the research they cite. It is premature to abandon efforts to understand and promote positive phenomena among people with various life-threatening illnesses. Instead, well-validated measures of positive phenomena should become routinely incorporated into a broader array of health psychology studies to provide a rigorous test of their role in human health and adaptation to disease.

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Citations

Nov 30, 2010·Cancer Causes & Control : CCC·Hosanna Soler-ViláBeth A Jones
Jun 1, 2011·Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings·Richard G Tedeschi
Jun 29, 2012·Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings·Suzanne C DanhauerBayard L Powell
Mar 26, 2013·Quality of Life Research : an International Journal of Quality of Life Aspects of Treatment, Care and Rehabilitation·John M SalsmanDavid Cella
Mar 23, 2010·Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·Suzanne M MillerAlan J Christensen
Apr 16, 2010·Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·Sherri Sheinfeld Gorin
Aug 26, 2014·Psychological Reports·M Victoria CerezoAlejandro De La Torre-Luque
Mar 24, 2016·Scientifica·Igor Lakhno
Sep 3, 2011·Journal of Psychosocial Oncology·Donna M PoslusznyMary Amanda Dew
Mar 25, 2014·Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine·Dragoş-Daniel ŢarălungăWerner Wolf
Dec 15, 2012·Psycho-oncology·Ingrid J RowlandsUNKNOWN Australian National Endometrial Cancer Study Group
Apr 18, 2013·Psychosomatic Medicine·Ari HaukkalaTiina Laatikainen
May 21, 2021·Frontiers in Psychology·Kate AndersonGail Garvey
Aug 22, 2021·Nursing in Critical Care·Rebecca J JardenJane Koziol-McLain

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