Does timeframe adjustment of the Life Orientation Test-Revised assess optimism as a state?
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Optimism is prospectively associated with superior health outcomes in cardiac patients, making it an attractive target for well-being interventions in this population. However, optimism measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) has largely been considered a static, dispositional construct. Among 125 patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome who received a positive psychology intervention, we assessed the properties of a modified LOT-R that changed the timeframe of items from general dispositional statements to queries about 'right now.' We aimed to learn whether this modified LOT-R was more dynamic than the original LOT-R via administration of both instruments at three timepoints over the 16-week study period. Contrary to our hypothesis, this modified LOT-R showed no greater change in mean score or intra-individual variance than the original LOT-R over 16 weeks. This suggests that simply changing the timeframe of the LOT-R may not facilitate assessment of more state-like optimism in medical patients.
Institutions: Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: A positive psychology intervention to promote health behaviors in heart failure, Developing a positive psychology intervention to improve cardiac health behaviors, Testing the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a multilevel intervention to promote physical activity among patients with metabolic syndrome
OpenAlex ID: W2913413599