RESUMO
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.
RESUMO
Resumen La autoeficacia se asocia con mejores habilidades sociales, menores niveles de agresividad y con un mejor desempeño escolar. Por este motivo, disponer de instrumentos válidos para su medición es fundamental en el ámbito escolar. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo el análisis de las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala Multidimensional de Autoeficacia Infantil (EMA-infantil, Oros, 2017) en una muestra de 225 estudiantes ecuatorianos con una media de edad de 9.97 años. Se realizó un análisis de ítems y se encontró que el ítem 3 y el factor deportivo de la autoeficacia presentaban bajos índices de discriminación y de relación ítem-resto de la prueba. Se continuó con un análisis factorial confirmatorio en el cual se encontró que el ítem 3 no carga bien dentro del factor autoeficacia social y que los ítems de la autoeficacia deportiva presentaban bajas cargas factoriales y residuos superiores a lo esperado (RMSEA y RMSR > .07). Por ello, se analizó la posibilidad de un modelo de dos factores, sin tomar en cuenta los ítems de autoeficacia deportiva y removiendo el ítem 3, con el que se obtuvieron buenos índices de ajuste TLI = .96 y residuos RMSEA = .04, RMSR = .05. Los índices de fiabilidad para cada factor fueron: Académica = .84, Social = .85, y Deportiva = .6. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la escala EMA es un instrumento válido en la medición de la autoeficacia académica y social. Sin embargo, no se recomienda el uso de la escala deportiva por sus pobres propiedades psicométricas.
Abstract Self-efficacy is associated with better social skills, lower levels of aggressiveness and better school performance. For this reason, having valid instruments for its measurement is essential in the school environment. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Child Self-Efficacy Scale (EMA-infantil, Oros, 2017) in a sample of 225 Ecuadorian students with a mean age of 9.97 years. An analysis of items was performed, finding that item 3 and the sports factor of self-efficacy had low discrimination rates and item-rest of the test ratio. A confirmatory factor analysis was continued in which it was found that item 3 does not load well within the social self-efficacy factor, the items of sports self-efficacy had low factor loads and residuals higher than expected (RMSEA and RMSR > .07). Therefore, the possibility of a two-factor model was analyzed without taking into account the sport self-efficacy items and removing item 3, obtaining good adjustment indices TLI = .96 and residuals RMSEA = .04, RMSR = .05. The reliability indices for each factor were: Academic = .84, Social = .85, and Sports = .6. The results obtained show that the EMA scale is a valid instrument in the measurement of academic and social self-efficacy, however, the use of the sports scale is not recommended due to its poor psychometric properties.
