Impact of Sociodemographic and Psychological Factors on Adherence to Glaucoma Treatment - A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by progressive and irreversible damage to the optic nerve. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of sociodemographic and psychological factors on adherence to glaucoma therapy. Methods: The study was carried out among 190 adults treated for glaucoma at the Ophthalmology Outpatient Clinic of the University Teaching Hospital in Wroclaw between January 2019 and September 2019. Treatment adherence was measured using the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS). We used the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results: 58.9% patients reported low treatment adherence. Educated females aged 68 or under living in cities had higher adherence. The regression analysis showed an association between dispositional optimism and glaucoma treatment adherence. The higher the level of dispositional optimism, the better the adherence. Higher dispositional optimism is directly associated with a sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy and a feeling of internal control. Patients reporting a high level of illness acceptance were found to have 2.5 times higher odds of adhering to glaucoma therapy. Illness acceptance is an indicator of the degree of adaptation to an illness and is positively correlated with a sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy and engagement in healthy behavior. Conclusion: More than half of patients with glaucoma have low adherence. Sociodemographic characteristics (female gender, age 68 or under, tertiary education and living in an urban area) and psychological characteristics (high level of illness acceptance, dispositional optimism and satisfaction with life) are significant predictors of high adherence.

A pilot exploration of the relationships between optimism, affect, and cardiovascular reactivity.

Introduction: Cardiovascular reactivity refers to changes in blood pressure and heart rate in response to internal or external stimuli. Previous research has shown that excessively high and low cardiovascular reactivity are associated with an increased risk of cardiac problems. Dispositional optimism has been associated with numerous health benefits, including better cardiovascular responses to stressors, and reduced mortality risk. Conversely, pessimism has been associated with negative health outcomes and worse cardiovascular reactivity to stress. Mood, comprising positive and negative affect, can significantly impact psychological adjustment and physical health. Therefore, it is important to consider mood as a potential confounding variable in the link between optimism and cardiovascular reactivity. The study hypothesized that optimism and pessimism would still influence cardiovascular reactivity even when mood variables were controlled for. Methods: A within-subjects correlational design with 107 young adult participants was used. Sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires were administered to collect information on participants' characteristics. The Dispositional Optimism Scale (LOT-R) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) were used to assess participants' levels of optimism, pessimism, and mood. Measures of cardiovascular reactivity, including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR), were taken during a stressor task (PASAT). Results: There is a moderate positive correlation between dispositional optimism and positive affect, while pessimism demonstrated a moderate positive association with negative affect. Linear regression analyses were conducted, controlling baseline reactivity variables, gender, and body mass index. The results showed that pessimism had a significant negative effect on SBP reactivity, suggesting that higher levels of pessimism decreased SBP response. Optimism had a significant positive effect on DBP reactivity, while pessimism had a significant negative effect. Discussion: Overall, these results suggest that dispositional optimism and pessimism are related to cardiovascular reactivity, even after controlling for positive and negative affect. Pessimism was associated with lower SBP reactivity, while both optimism and pessimism influenced DBP reactivity. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that optimism enables more effective stress management during challenging events, whereas pessimism can serve as a risk factor, heightening the likelihood of experiencing future cardiac issued caused by blunted cardiovascular reactivity.

Optimism and pessimism are antithetically associated with post-operative knee function in patients' undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: Personality traits, such as dispositional optimism and pessimism, have impact on a variety of health-related problems. Influence on outcome in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) could only be shown for other personality trait concepts, but not for dispositional optimism/pessimism. This study aims to examine the association of dispositional optimism/pessimism with pre-operative joint function and post-operative outcome in TKA. METHODS: Data were acquired in a multicentre, cross-sectoral, prospective study (the PROMISE Trial). Patients were followed for 12 months post-operatively. Dispositional optimism/pessimism was measured pre-operatively via the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), pre- and post-operative function was measured via the 12 Item Knee-osteoarthritis outcome Scores (KOOS-12). Log-linear regression models considering known confounders and t-test were carried out to show the association of LOT-R scores with pre- and post-operative KOOS-12 scores. RESULTS: 740 patients were analyzed. Optimistic LOT-R was significantly positively associated to the mean scores of KOOS-12 pre- and post-operative, while pessimistic LOT-R was significantly associated negatively (pre-operative: optimistic p = 0.001, pessimistic p = 0.001; post-operative optimistic: 3M p = 0.001, 6M p = 0.001, 12M p = 0.001; post-operative pessimistic: 3M p = 0.01, 6M p = 0.004, 12M p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Optimism was positively associated with pre-operative joint function and, more importantly, post-operative functional outcome in TKA, while pessimism was associated with the opposite. Assessing patients' general personality traits prior to surgery to identify pessimistic patients, hence being at risk for poor outcome in TKA, should be considered to react to the patients' special needs and possible pessimistic expectations, i.e., through a cognitive-behavioral intervention, to potentially increase optimism and hereby post-operative outcome in TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III.

The relationship between optimism, MCI, and dementia among postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between optimism and cognitive functioning is not fully understood. We examined the association of optimism with risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). METHODS: Optimism was measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) total score, and optimism and pessimism subscales. A panel of experts adjudicated cognitive endpoints based on annual cognitive assessments. We used cox proportional hazard regression models to examine the association of LOT-R total score and optimism and pessimism sub-scores with MCI/dementia. We also examined the relationship between vascular disease, LOT-R total score, optimism and pessimism, and cognition. RESULTS: Mean age was 70.5 (SD = 3.9) years. The sample (N = 7249) was 87% white, and 29.8% of participants had < 12 years of education. Total LOT-R score (HR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94, 0.98, p < 0.001) was associated with lower risk of combined MCI or dementia. More pessimism (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.11, p < 0.0001) was associated with higher risk of MCI or dementia after adjustment for ethnicity, education, vascular disease, and depression. No significant relationships emerged from the optimism subscale. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that less pessimism, but not more optimism, was associated with a lower risk of MCI and dementia.

The Association of Dispositional Optimism and Pessimism With Cardiovascular Disease Events in Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Positive psychosocial factors may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the association of optimism and pessimism with CVD events in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: 11,651 adults aged 70 years and over, participants of the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), were followed-up for 4.7 years (median). The association of optimism and pessimism (assessed as separate constructs by revised Life Orientation Test) and incident CVD events (composite and components) was assessed by Cox regression adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and health factors. Results: No association was observed between optimism and pessimism with composite CVD events. Being more pessimistic was associated with a greater risk of fatal coronary heart disease, while being more optimistic was associated with a lower risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction. Conclusions: Optimism and pessimism may shape cardiovascular health of older adults; and we argue these psychosocial factors should be researched as separate constructs.

Religious and Spiritual Practices: Association with Dispositional Optimism in an Underprivileged Population in Lascano, Uruguay.

Optimism seems to foster the ability to manage adverse situations better-a finding especially relevant for disadvantaged populations. Employing a unique sample from a small underprivileged village, we studied the association between religious/spiritual practices and dispositional optimism. The village belongs to a developing country that is, by far, the most secular country in Latin America; this makes it particularly interesting for exploring the role of religious/spiritual practices in this context. We found that these practices were positively associated with higher optimism, measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R): those who practice spirituality, score, on average, 14.4 percentage points higher on the LOT-R than those who did not. This association seems to be especially robust in the case of the poor and less educated: those with religious/spiritual practices score 20 percentage points higher on the LOT-R. Thus, the role that these practices may play in dispositional optimism in disadvantaged populations deserves more attention.

Unveiling the neural underpinnings of optimism: a systematic review.

Optimism is a personality trait strongly associated with physical and psychological well-being, with correlates in nonhuman species. Optimistic individuals hold positive expectancies for their future, have better physical and psychological health, recover faster after heart disease and other ailments, and cope more effectively with stress and anxiety. We performed a systematic review of neuroimaging studies focusing on neural correlates of optimism. A search identified 14 papers eligible for inclusion. Two key brain areas were linked to optimism: the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), involved in imagining the future and processing of self-referential information; and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), involved in response inhibition and processing relevant cues. ACC activity was positively correlated with trait optimism and with the probability estimations of future positive events. Behavioral measures of optimistic tendencies investigated through the belief update task correlated positively with IFG activity. Elucidating the neural underpinnings of optimism may inform both the development of prevention and treatment strategies for several mental disorders negatively associated with optimism, such as depression, as well as help to foster new resilience promotion interventions targeting healthy, vulnerable, and mentally ill individuals.

Mood, Burnout, and Dispositional Optimism in Kayak Polo Players During Their Competitive Stage.

The main objective of performance sport is to obtain achievements at the highest level through the adequate development of the athlete. The scientific literature demonstrates the fundamental role played by the inclusion of certain psychological variables in the training plan. This study examined the psychological profile of kayak polo players through the variables of burnout, optimism, and mood in the hours prior to the competition, relating these to each other and to some sociodemographic data. A sample of 86 canoeists, 60 men (69.8%) and 26 women (30.2%), with an age measurement of 24.4 ± 9.1 years belonging to the first male and female kayak polo division, completed the POMS-29, the LOT-R, and the IBD-R. Athletes' levels of optimism were found to be significantly correlated with mood. Optimism also influenced emotional exhaustion. In addition, seniority and internationality were decisive factors in the level of optimism and mood achieved.

Quality of life in Italian patients with Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1): results of an extensive survey.

BACKGROUND: MEN1 is a complex, rare, syndrome inherited in an autosomal dominant tract and characterized by the development of multiple neuroendocrine tumors, requiring lifelong surveillance and multiple medical and surgical therapies throughout the patient's life. For all these reasons, a diagnosis of MEN1 can be a psychological shock for the patient, as well as his/her relatives, more so than the diagnosis of a single tumor. In the last two decades, clinicians have started to consider the emotional, psychological, relational, and social aspects of their patients' lives. The data collected in the present analyses highlight the unique features of MEN1 syndrome, and aim to evaluate the Quality of Life in the patients and their relatives. In this study, a comprehensive survey of various aspects of Health-Related Quality of Life was performed in a large series of Italian MEN1 patients, by administering five of the most common targeted questionnaires. RESULTS: The results of the study showed that our patients, despite having a complex multi-tumor syndrome, were moderately optimistic (50%), and this corresponds with a normal Quality of Life. This positive response is strictly correlated with the fact that the patients are cared for at a dedicated Referral Center, receiving personalized care and constant follow-up, which gives them reassurance regarding the high quality of management of the disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of having access to a clinical Referral Center for their complex rare disease, together with the support of a dedicated patient association, has been demonstrated to be the ideal model for the management of post-diagnosis shock, and contributes to the preservation of a good Health-Related Quality of Life for MEN1 patients.

Effects of pessimism, depression, fatigue, and pain on functional health-related quality of life in patients with resected non-advanced breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to analyze the effects of pessimism, depression, fatigue, and pain on functional health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with resected, non-advanced breast cancer. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter study was conducted in 440 breast cancer patients. They completed the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL-Questionnaire-Core-30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30), and the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). RESULTS: Prevalence rates of pessimism and depression were 23.3% and 40.0%, respectively. Fatigue and pain were the most common symptoms, 8.8% and 4.2%, respectively. Patients without a partner were more pessimistic that partnered ones; those with a lower level of education and subjects without a partner exhibited more depression. Depression was a major factor that proved to have the greatest explanatory power for HRQoL (physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning) and global health status (R2 range: 0.13 to 0.39). Of the five domains, fatigue had a significant effect on four and pain, on two. CONCLUSION: This study reveals the impact of depression and pessimism on physical, psychological, social, and quality-of-life aspects and the importance of evaluating them in patients who are going to initiate adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

The Psychometric Properties of English and Spanish Versions of the Life Orientation Test-Revised in Hispanic Americans.

The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) is a widely used measure of optimism and pessimism, with three positively worded and three negatively worded content items. This study examined the structural validity and invariance, internal consistency reliability, and convergent and divergent validity of the English and Spanish versions of the LOT-R among Hispanic Americans. A community sample of Hispanic Americans (N = 422) completed self-report measures, including the LOT-R, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, in their preferred language of English or Spanish. Based on the literature, four structural models were tested: one-factor, oblique two-factor, orthogonal two-factor method effects with positive specific factor, and orthogonal two-factor method effects with negative specific factor. Baseline support for both of the English and Spanish versions was not achieved for any model; in all models, the negatively worded items in Spanish had non-significant factor loadings. Therefore, the positively worded three-item optimism subscale of the LOT-R was examined separately and fit the data, with factor loadings equivalent across language-preference groups. Coefficient alphas for the optimism subscale were consistent across both language-preference groups (αs = .61 [English] and .66 [Spanish]). In contrast, the six-item total score and three-item pessimism subscale demonstrated extremely low or inconsistent alphas. Convergent and divergent validity were established for the optimism subscale in both languages. In sum, the optimism subscale of the LOT-R demonstrated minimally acceptable to good psychometric properties across English and Spanish language-preference groups. However, neither the total score nor the pessimism subscale showed adequate psychometric properties for Spanish-speaking Hispanic Americans, likely due to translation and cultural adaptation issues, and thus are not supported for use with this population.

Population-based norms of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R).

Background/Objective: The most common used instrument to measure optimism, both in psychological and medical research, is the Life Orientation Test- Revised (LOT-R). A multi-countries study using the future item from the LOT-R, found that level of optimism varied between countries. The provision of population-based norms is necessary, since norms enable the application of the LOT-R in individual diagnosis to compare individuals or special patient groups' scores with reference data. Method: A representative population based survey was conducted in 2014-2015. Norwegian aged 18-94 years (N = 1,792) completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic, optimism and health and quality of life. Results: The mean age was 53.2 (SD = 16.6) and 53% were women. Mean LOT-R score was 17.2 (SD 3.0). There were marginal age and no gender differences. Although optimism was associated with sociodemographic variables, these were considered negligible due to small effect size. Norm data are given for the entire population. Optimism was associated with better health and quality of life. Conclusions: This study provides age and gender specific norm values from a representative sample of the Norwegian population. The normative data may be used in comparisons of optimism between individuals or between different samples of patients or sub-groups of people.

Antecedentes/Objetivo: El instrumento más comúnmente utilizado para medir el optimismo, tanto en la investigación psicológica como en la médica, es el Test de Orientación Vital Revisado (LOT-R). Disponer de normas poblacionales es necesario, ya que permiten comparar los puntajes de individuos o grupos con los datos de referencia. Método: En 2014-2015 se llevó a cabo un estudio poblacional. Noruegos de entre 18 y 94 años (N = 1.792) cumplimentaron cuestionarios que evaluaban variables sociodemográficas, optimismo disposicional, salud y calidad de vida. Resultados: La edad media fue de 53,2 (DT = 16,6) y el 53% fueron mujeres. La puntuación media del LOT-R fue de 17,2 (DT = 3). Se encontraron diferencias marginales en la edad y no hubo diferencias de género. Aunque el optimismo se asoció con variables sociodemográficas, esta asociación no se consideró significativa debido a los pequeños tamaños del efecto, por lo que los datos normativos se refieren a la población general. El optimismo se asoció con mejor salud y calidad de vida. Conclusión: Este estudio proporciona valores normativos específicos en función de edad y sexo a partir de una muestra representativa de la población noruega.

Factor structure of the Spanish version of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R): Testing several models.

Studies of the dimensionality of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), considered as the gold standard in the measurement of dispositional optimism, yield controversial results due to the various factorial solutions found. Consequently, the factorial structure of the test has not yet been fully established. The aim of this study is to determine the factorial structure of the LOT-R by comparing seven previous models and their empirical evidence. The test was administered to 906 Spanish participants, ages 18 to 61 (mean age: 23; 56% males). Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted using polychoric correlations. Considering the theoretical background and the best model fit indices (RMSEA=.038; CFI=.98), we conclude that the test presents a factorial structure of a second-order factor (life orientation) composed of two factors (optimism and pessimism). Thus, we recommend using a single global score that could be referred to as life orientation but which ultimately represents the level of dispositional optimism.

Los estudios sobre la dimensionalidad del Test de Orientación Vital-Revisado (LOT-R), considerado el estándar en la medida del optimismo disposicional, resultan controvertidos al encontrar diversas soluciones factoriales. Así, no se ha establecido la estructura factorial definitiva de la prueba. El objetivo del presente estudio es determinar la estructura factorial del LOT-R mediante la comparación de los siete modelos empíricos existentes en la literatura. El instrumento fue administrado a 906 participantes españoles, de edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 61 años (edad media = 23; 56% hombres). Se llevaron a cabo análisis factoriales confirmatorios sobre la matriz de correlaciones policóricas. Teniendo en cuenta los modelos teóricos existentes y los mejores índices de ajuste (RMSEA = 0,038; CFI = 0,98), concluimos que el LOT-R presenta una estructura factorial de segundo orden (orientación vital), compuesta por dos factores (Optimismo y Pesimismo). En consecuencia, recomendamos utilizar una única puntuación global que puede denominarse orientación vital y que, en último término, representa el nivel de optimismo disposicional.

Optimism, self-esteem and personality: adaptation and validation of the Brazilian Version Of The Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) / Otimismo, autoestima e personalidade: estudos de adaptação e validação brasileira do Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) / Optimismo, autoestima y personalidad: estudios de adaptación y validación versión brasileña del revised life orientation test (LOT-R)

Optimism can be defined in terms of positive and negative expectations regarding future life events. The aims of this study were to adapt and validate the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) for the Brazilian population, verify its psychometric characteristics, assess whether there are gender differences, and verify its relationships with self-esteem and personality. The participants were 844 university students from two public universities in the southern of Brazil, which answered the following tests: LOT-R, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Baterial Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). Factor analysis extracted a single factor, corroborating the findings of the original scale and indicating that optimism and pessimism are probably polar opposites of a single continuum. The results showed positive correlation between self-esteem and optimism in life orientation, and negative correlation between optimism and neuroticism. In conclusion, the Brazilian version of the LOT-R is an instrument that presents appropriate psychometric characteristics and that is ready for use in the Brazilian population.(AU)

O otimismo pode ser definido em termos de expectativas positivas e negativas com relação a eventos de vida futuros. Os objetivos deste estudo foram adaptar e validar o Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) para a população brasileira, verificar suas características psicométricas e avaliar se existem diferenças de sexo. Também investigou as correlações entre otimismo, autoestima e personalidade. O LOT-R foi traduzido e submetido a uma backtranslation. Participaram do estudo 844 universitários de duas universidades públicas do sul do Brasil, que responderam aos seguintes instrumentos: LOT-R, Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg e Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). análise fatorial extraiu um único fator, corroborando os achados da escala original e indicando que otimismo e pessimismo são, provavelmente, polos opostos de um mesmo continuum. Os resultados demonstram correlação positiva entre autoestima e otimismo na orientação para a vida, e correlação negativa entre otimismo e neuroticismo. Conclui-se que a versão da LOT-R apresenta características psicométricas adequadas e o instrumento encontra-se pronto para ser utilizado com a população brasileira.(AU)

El optimismo puede ser definido en términos de expectativas positivas y negativas con respecto a acontecimientos de vida futuros. Los objetivos de este estudio han sido adaptar y validar el Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) para la población brasileña, comprobar sus características psicométricas y evaluar si hay diferencias de sexo. También se investigó las correlaciones entre el optimismo, la autoestima y la personalidad. El LOT-R fue traducido y sometido a una backtranslation. Los participantes fueron 844 estudiantes universitarios de dos universidades públicas del sur de Brasil, que contestaron los siguientes instrumentos: LOT-R, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale y Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). El análisis factorial extrae un solo factor, lo que corrobora los resultados de la escala original e indica que el optimismo y el pesimismo son, probablemente, polos opuestos de un mismo continuum. Los resultados demuestran una correlación positiva entre la autoestima y el optimismo en la orientación a la vida, y una correlación negativa entre el optimismo y el neuroticismo. Llegamos a la conclusión de que la versión de la LOT-R tiene características psicométricas adecuadas y el instrumento está listo para su uso con la población brasileña.(AU)

Optimism, self-esteem and personality: adaptation and validation of the Brazilian Version Of The Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) / Otimismo, autoestima e personalidade: estudos de adaptação e validação brasileira do Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) / Optimismo, autoestima y personalidad: estudios de adaptación y validación versión brasileña del revised life orientation test (LOT-R)

Optimism can be defined in terms of positive and negative expectations regarding future life events. The aims of this study were to adapt and validate the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) for the Brazilian population, verify its psychometric characteristics, assess whether there are gender differences, and verify its relationships with self-esteem and personality. The participants were 844 university students from two public universities in the southern of Brazil, which answered the following tests: LOT-R, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Baterial Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). Factor analysis extracted a single factor, corroborating the findings of the original scale and indicating that optimism and pessimism are probably polar opposites of a single continuum. The results showed positive correlation between self-esteem and optimism in life orientation, and negative correlation between optimism and neuroticism. In conclusion, the Brazilian version of the LOT-R is an instrument that presents appropriate psychometric characteristics and that is ready for use in the Brazilian population...

O otimismo pode ser definido em termos de expectativas positivas e negativas com relação a eventos de vida futuros. Os objetivos deste estudo foram adaptar e validar o Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) para a população brasileira, verificar suas características psicométricas e avaliar se existem diferenças de sexo. Também investigou as correlações entre otimismo, autoestima e personalidade. O LOT-R foi traduzido e submetido a uma backtranslation. Participaram do estudo 844 universitários de duas universidades públicas do sul do Brasil, que responderam aos seguintes instrumentos: LOT-R, Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg e Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). análise fatorial extraiu um único fator, corroborando os achados da escala original e indicando que otimismo e pessimismo são, provavelmente, polos opostos de um mesmo continuum. Os resultados demonstram correlação positiva entre autoestima e otimismo na orientação para a vida, e correlação negativa entre otimismo e neuroticismo. Conclui-se que a versão da LOT-R apresenta características psicométricas adequadas e o instrumento encontra-se pronto para ser utilizado com a população brasileira...

El optimismo puede ser definido en términos de expectativas positivas y negativas con respecto a acontecimientos de vida futuros. Los objetivos de este estudio han sido adaptar y validar el Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) para la población brasileña, comprobar sus características psicométricas y evaluar si hay diferencias de sexo. También se investigó las correlaciones entre el optimismo, la autoestima y la personalidad. El LOT-R fue traducido y sometido a una backtranslation. Los participantes fueron 844 estudiantes universitarios de dos universidades públicas del sur de Brasil, que contestaron los siguientes instrumentos: LOT-R, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale y Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade (BFP). El análisis factorial extrae un solo factor, lo que corrobora los resultados de la escala original e indica que el optimismo y el pesimismo son, probablemente, polos opuestos de un mismo continuum. Los resultados demuestran una correlación positiva entre la autoestima y el optimismo en la orientación a la vida, y una correlación negativa entre el optimismo y el neuroticismo. Llegamos a la conclusión de que la versión de la LOT-R tiene características psicométricas adecuadas y el instrumento está listo para su uso con la población brasileña...

The contribution of personality to longevity: findings from the Australian Centenarian Study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether centenarians have a unique set of personality traits, which may in part explain their longevity. METHODS: 79 Australian centenarians completed the NEO Five Factory Inventory (NEO-FFI), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) to assess different dimensions of their personalities. Centenarians were asked to answer items of the NEO-FFI, CD-RISC and LOT-R based on current views, and were then asked to recall in the presence of an informant (e.g. carers, offspring) on past personality (i.e. at mid-adult-life). Both sets of answers were recorded and analysed. RESULTS: Centenarians were currently low in Openness and Extraversion and high in Neuroticism, but were low in Openness and high in Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Extraversion when reflecting on past traits. Currently, centenarians in high care facilities reported higher levels of Neuroticism, as did centenarians who did not socialize. Cognitively intact centenarians reported higher levels of Agreeableness; and males reported lower Neuroticism compared to females when reflecting on past experiences. DISCUSSION: Centenarians were characterized by several personality traits, which facilitated positive health behaviors and thus contributed to their longevity. It is possible that personality may not be static across the lifespan, but instead, reflect advancing age, psychosocial factors and changes in life circumstances.

Behavioral and neurophysiological investigation of the influence of verbal suggestion on tactile perception.

Recently we demonstrated that it is possible to influence tactile perception by applying a placebo manipulation consisting of verbal suggestion and conditioning and that this influence is associated to changes in the late components (N140 and P200) of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) (Fiorio et al., 2012). Due to the powerful effects of words in changing symptoms perception in the clinical domain, aim of this study was to investigate whether even in the tactile modality, perception can be changed by the mere use of persuasive words in a specific context. To this purpose, we adopted the same experimental setting of our previous study, apart from the conditioning procedure. A group of subjects (experimental group) has been verbally suggested about the effect of an inert cream in enhancing tactile perception, while a control group was informed about the inefficacy of the cream. In order to unveil the neurophysiological underpinnings of this effect, we compared the amplitude of late SEPs (P100, N140, P200), before and after treatment. Results showed that the experimental group did not perceive an increase of tactile sensation after the treatment and no modification occurred in the late SEPs. This study proves that verbal suggestion alone is not sufficient to induce enhanced tactile perception (at least with this experimental setting), suggesting that a conditioning procedure may be necessary in the tactile modality. The absence of changes in the late SEP components could reflect the lack of strong expectation following the placebo procedure.

Evaluación del optimismo: un análisis preliminar del Life Orientation Test versión revisada (lot-r) en población chilena / Optimism Evaluation: preliminary analysis of the Life Orientation Test revised version (lot-r) in chilean population

El optimismo disposicional ha sido investigado ampliamente en diferentes culturas, mostrando su utilidad como variable relacionada y predictora de importantes variables psicológicas y estados de salud. El presente estudio reporta las propiedades psicométricas preliminares del Life Orientation Test (LOT- R), en una muestra de 309 jóvenes universitarios con edades entre los 18 y 25 años, pertenecientes a la ciudad de Santiago de Chile. La estimación de la consistencia interna fue de 0.65. Del análisis factorial exploratorio surge una estructura bifactorial, alusiva a optimismo y pesimismo, que explica un 55.55% de la varianza. No se encuentra diferencia de medias entre hombres y mujeres. En términos generales la evidencia muestra la adecuación del LOT-R para su utilización en Chile.

The dispositional optimism has been researched widely in different cultures,proving its utility as a related variable and as a predictor of importantpsychological variables and states of health. The following study reports thepreliminary psychometric properties of the Life Orientation Test (LOT- R), in a sample of 309 young university students with ages between 18 and 25years, from Santiago of Chile. The estimation of the internal consistencywas of 0,65. From the exploratory factorial analysis a two factors structureemerges, of optimism and pessimism, which explain a 55.55% of the variance.There are not significant sex differences between men and women. In general terms, evidence support the adequacy of the test for its use in Chile.