Pessimists Can Thrive,Too: State HopeImproves Mental Health

TL;DRAbstract

In positive psychology, the predominant conceptualization of hope focuses on specific future outcomes, which are achieved through willpower (the motivation to achieve a goal) and way-power (the ability to find many routes to reach a goal; Snyder et al., 1996). Optimism is the general expectancy of positive outcomes (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994). Chang et al. (2013) examined the intersection of trait hope and optimism-pessimism for predicting depression in adult, primary-care patients. Our purpose was to replicate and extend their findings in college students, predicting depression and flourishing. College students (N=255) completed self-report measures of state hope and hopelessness (Snyder et al., 1996; Dunn et al., 2014), and optimism-pessimism (Scheier et al., 1994). Scores were centered to reflect high and low levels of hope and hopelessness, and distinguish optimistic from pessimistic participants. Stepwise regression analyses tested our variables as independent and interacti

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