Psicologia positiva na universidade: um estudo correlacional

Ao entrar no Ensino Superior, o estudante se depara com muitas dificuldades que podem levá-lo a desistir do curso. Pouco se estuda sobre o que faz com que os estudantes permaneçam na universidade apesar dos obstáculos que encontram durante a graduação. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo correlacionar o otimismo, a satisfação com a vida, os afetos positivos e negativos e a resiliência acadêmica de universitários que estão na metade final de cursos de graduação. Ao todo 458 estudantes participaram da pesquisa. Foram aplicados questionários em três Instituições de Ensino Superior brasileiras, sendo um questionário sociodemográfico, Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), Escala de Resiliência Acadêmica (ERA), Escala de Satisfação com a Vida (SWLS) e Escala de Afetos Positivos e Negativos (PANAS). Foram encontradas correlações significativas entre as variáveis estudadas, sendo que há uma correlação positiva entre o otimismo e a satisfação com a vida, os afetos positivos, a resiliência acadêmica e as subescalas da resiliência acadêmica perseverança e reflexão e busca de ajuda; e negativas entre os afetos negativos e a subescala da resiliência acadêmica respostas afetivas e emocionais negativas. Esses são dados de grande importância pois mostram que quando o estudante apresenta algum desses aspectos positivos analisados, pode ter outros também positivos, o auxiliando em sua vida universitária. Mais estudos sobre a temática precisam ser realizados para compreender quais variáveis podem estar relacionadas aos estudantes se manter na universidade. Assim, será possível pensar em políticas públicas e programas de intervenção para a manutenção do acadêmico na graduação.

Relationships Between Cross-Cultural Adaption, Perceived Stress and Psychological Health Among International Undergraduate Students From a Medical University During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model

International university students may be at greater risk for developing psychological problems due to the unique stressors in them, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of present study is to propose and test a moderated mediation model that would illuminate the underlying relationships of cross-cultural adaption, perceived stress and psychological health as well as the moderating effect of optimism and resilience among international medical undergraduates in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted via a web-based survey in November 2020. Electronic informed consents were obtained from all participants. A total of 453 students including 233 males and 220 females aged 18 to 28 years with an average age of 22.09 (SD = 2.73) completed the questionnaires. Symptom Checklist 90, the measurement of cross-cultural adaption, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Life Orientation Test-Revised and the Resilience Scale were used for the survey. Results for the moderated mediation model testing revealed that cross-cultural adaption significantly and negatively associated with the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Symptom Checklist 90 (β = −0.24, P < 0.01), and perceived stress partially mediated the relationship. Optimism (β = −0.29, P < 0.01) and confidence in COVID-19 control (β = −0.19, P < 0.01) had direct negative effects on perceived stress. Furthermore, optimism and resilience negatively moderated the indirect effect of cross-cultural adaption on psychological health through perceived stress. Findings of this study suggest that university educators ought to promote or make use of programs that cope with stress and boost optimism and resilience in order to support students not only adapt well to a new culture, but also keep good psychological health during the period of COVID-19 pandemic.

Anxiolytic and Antidepressant Use and Burnout: Optimism as a Mediator in Spanish Nurses

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between burnout, the use of drugs (anxiolytics and antidepressants) and optimism in nurses. At the end of 2018, a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with a sample of actively employed nurses recruited by snowball sampling. The sample consisted of 1432 nurses in Andalusia (Spain), aged 22–58, who were working at the time of data collection, 83.2% of whom were women. Data were collected anonymously in an ad hoc questionnaire about sociodemographic information and use of anxiolytics and/or antidepressives: the Brief Burnout Questionnaire—Revised for Nurses (CBB-R) and the Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R). Descriptive, mediation and moderation analyses were performed, with significant results having a p-value less than 0.05. The results on burnout showed significant relationships with use of the drugs. In particular, personal impact, job dissatisfaction and motivational abandonment were positively related to use of certain of the anxiolytics and antidepressants presented, while the correlation with the social climate was negative. Furthermore, optimism correlated negatively with drug use. Knowing that optimism can alleviate the repercussions of the use of drugs opens up new lines of research and the possibility of developing programs aimed at promoting a positive disposition in the face of complicated events.

Engagement y optimismo en un grupo de trabajadores colombianos: análisis de algunos predictores

Introducción: El engagement y el optimismo aportan a la salud mental, por tanto, es importante avanzar en la investigación de estos fenómenos psicológicos poco estudiados en Colombia. Objetivo: Analizar la relación entre el engagement y el optimismo en un grupo de trabajadores colombianos, e identificar el papel predictivo de la edad y la antigüedad en la organización en el engagement y el optimismo. Materiales y métodos: Se utilizó una estrategia asociativa donde participaron 298 trabajadores (M=124-H=174) de una organización del sector telecomunicaciones. Se aplicó un cuestionario sociodemográfico, el Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 y el Life Orientation Test. Las hipótesis se probaron mediante correlación de Pearson, análisis de varianza y modelo de regresión lineal múltiple de pasos sucesivos. Resultados: Las dimensiones del engagement se correlacionaron con el optimismo vigor (r=0,42, p<0,01), dedicación (r=0,26, p<0,01) y absorción (r=0,20, p<0,01)). Conjuntamente, se encontraron diferencias en la dedicación en función de la edad (p=0,01) y la antigüedad (p=0,04). Los modelos predictivos reportaron asociaciones entre edad y vigor (β=0,25, t=4,2, p<0,000), dedicación (β=0,202, t=3,38, p<0,001) y absorción (β=0,145, t=2,4, p<0,017). Conclusiones: Existe una relación positiva entre engagement y optimismo. En este estudio la edad es un predictor del engagement, pero no del optimismo.

Psychometric quality of the Gratitude Questionnaire in Filipino college students

This study aims to adapt the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6) to the Philippines, gathering evidence of its validity and reliability. Two studies were conducted. Participants in Study 1 were 340 college students (Mage= 20.63; 62.1% female), who completed the GQ-6 and demographic questions. The exploratory factor analysis was performed, indicating a one-factor solution (a= .80). Participants in Study 2 were 813 college students (Mage= 19.99 years; 50.1% male), who answered the GQ-6, the Life Orientation Test-Revised, the Subjective Happiness Scale, and the Spirituality/Religiousness items. Results corroborated the one-factor structure (e.g., CFI= .98, RMSEA= .05) showing evidence of its association with life orientation (r= .29), subjective happiness (r= .08), and religiosity (r= .31). The scores from the GQ-6 also exhibited invariance across gender. In conclusion, the GQ-6 provide evidence of factorial and criterion validity and reliability, justifying its use in the Philippines.

Optimism in adults born preterm: Systematic review and individual-participant-data meta-analysis

Aim Preterm birth(<37 gestational weeks) is associated with numerous adversities, however, data on positive developmental outcomes remain limited. We examined if preterm and term born(≥37 gestational weeks) adults differ in dispositional optimism/pessimism, a personality trait associated with health and wellbeing. We assessed if birth weight z-score, neurosensory impairments and parental education modified the outcome. Methods We systematically searched PubMed and Web of Science for cohort or case-control studies(born ≥ 1970) with data on gestational age and optimism/pessimism reported using the Life-Orientation-Test-Revised in adulthood(≥18 years). The three identified studies(Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults; Arvo Ylppö Longitudinal Study; Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children) provided data for the two-step random-effects linear regression Individual-Participant-Data meta-analysis. Results Preterm and term borns did not differ on optimism(p = 0.76). Preterms scored higher on pessimism than term borns(Mean difference = 0.35, 95%Confidence Interval 0.36, 0.60, p = 0.007), although not after full adjustment. Preterm born participants, but not term born participants, with higher birth weight z-score, had higher optimism scores (0.30 raw score units per standard deviation increase, 95% CI 0.10, 0.49, p = 0.003); preterm vs term x birth weight z-score interaction p = 0.004). Conclusions Preterm and term born adults display similar optimism. In preterms, higher birth weight may foster developmental trajectories promoting more optimistic life orientations.

Hope and Fear in the Midst of Coronavirus: What Accounts for COVID-19 Preparedness?

Objective: The present study asks the question: What variables accounted for people’s tendencies to take steps to prepare for COVID-19 during the earliest stage of the pandemic? Data collection took place from March 6 to 11, 2020. In particular, the study examines variables that have been shown to predict health behavior in previous research outside the context of the present pandemic, including hope, optimism, perceived risk, fear, and mental health variables. Method: Participants (222 adults in 39 U.S. states) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Online surveys included the Adult Hope Scale (AHS), Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Impact of Events Scale (IES-R), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Also included were items inquiring about COVID-19 perceived mortality risk, fear/anxiety, and preparedness. Results and Conclusion: Participants were asked to imagine that COVID-19 had different hypothetical levels of mortality risk, ranging from 1 to 10 percent mortality (at the time of data collection, the WHO estimated actual mortality of the disease at approximately 3 percent). For each level, participants rated the degree to which they would be willing to take steps to prepare and protect themselves from the disease on a 7-point scale. Nearly 49 percent of participants said they would be relatively unlikely (i.e., provided a rating below the midpoint of the scale) to take steps to protect themselves if the mortality rate were at the 3 percent level. Stepwise multiple regression including the aforementioned predictors showed that three variables accounted for unique variance in participants’ levels of current preparedness: COVID-19 fear/anxiety, posttraumatic stress (as measured by the IES-R), and hope. Implications of these results are briefly discussed in the context of raising preparedness given that future public health crises are likely inevitable.

Prevalence and severity of secondary traumatic stress and optimism in Indian health care professionals during COVID-19 lockdown

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the lacunae in the preparedness of healthcare systems across the globe. This preparedness also includes the safety of healthcare providers (HCPs) at various levels. Sudden spread of COVID-19 infection has created threatening and vulnerable conditions for the HCPs. The current pandemic situation has not only affected physical health of HCPs but also their mental health. Objective This study aims to understand the prevalence and severity of secondary traumatic stress, optimism parameters, along with states of mood experienced by the HCPs, viz., doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals (including Physiotherapist, Lab technicians, Phlebotomist, dieticians, administrative staff and clinical pharmacist), during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. Methodology The assessment of level of secondary traumatic stress (STS), optimism/pessimism (via Life Orientation Test-Revised) and current mood states experienced by Indian HCPs in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation was done using a primary data of 2,008 HCPs from India during the first lockdown during April-May 2020. Data was collected through snow-ball sampling technique, reaching out to various medical health care professionals through social media platforms. Result Amongst the study sample 88.2% of doctors, 79.2 of nurses and 58.6% of allied HCPs were found to have STS in varying severity. There was a female preponderance in the category of Severe STS. Higher optimism on the LOTR scale was observed among doctors at 39.3% followed by nurses at 26.7% and allied health care professionals 22.8%. The mood visual analogue scale which measures the “mood” during the survey indicated moderate mood states without any gender bias in the study sample. Conclusion The current investigation sheds light on the magnitude of the STSS experienced by the HCPs in the Indian Subcontinent during the pandemic. This hitherto undiagnosed and unaddressed issue, calls for a dire need of creating better and accessible mental health programmes and facilities for the health care providers in India.