HIV Treatment Optimism Moderates the Relationship between Sexual Risk Behavior and HIV Risk Perception among Urban HIV-negative Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who have Sex With Men.

Using baseline data of the Engage Cohort Study, a Canadian study of sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM), we evaluated the association between sexual behavior and risk perception among HIV-negative participants and whether HIV treatment optimism moderated this relationship. Participants were recruited by respondent-driven-sampling (RDS). We defined high-risk sexual behavior in the past six months as any condomless anal sex with a casual partner (i.e. not the participant's main partner) with either unknown HIV-status where neither used pre-exposure prophylaxis or with a partner living with HIV having detectable/unknown viral load. We assessed HIV treatment optimism-skepticism using a 12-item scale. RDS-II-weighted adjusted logistic regression models examined associations with risk perception measured by the question "How would you assess your current risk of getting HIV?" (response options were on a 6-point Likert-scale ranging from "very unlikely" to "very likely", dichotomized into "No Perceived Risk" (very unlikely/unlikely) and "Perceived Risk" (somewhat likely/likely/very likely/I think I already have HIV). Of 1961 participants, engagement in high-risk sexual behavior was reported by 155 (17.0%), 62 (12.4%), 128 (17.2%) of participants in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver, respectively. High-risk sexual behavior increased the odds of perceived HIV risk (pooled adjusted odds ratio = 2.9, 95%CI = 2.2-3.8). HIV treatment optimism-skepticism scores moderated the relationship: for GBM engaging in high-risk sexual behavior, higher HIV treatment optimism-skepticism scores increased perceived HIV risk. Promoting awareness around advances related to HIV prevention and treatment is important for appropriate risk assessment and for increased engagement in prevention interventions.

RESUMEN: Evaluamos la asociación entre el comportamiento sexual y la percepción de riesgo entre los participantes VIH negativos y si el optimismo sobre el tratamiento del VIH moderó esta asociación. Definimos comportamiento sexual de alto riesgo en los últimos seis meses como cualquier sexo anal sin condón con una pareja casual con un estado de VIH desconocido donde ninguno utilizó profilaxis previa a la exposición o con una pareja que vive con el VIH y que tiene una carga viral detectable/desconocida. Se evaluó el optimismo sobre el tratamiento del VIH mediante una escala de 12 ítems. Los modelos de regresión logística ajustados examinaron las asociaciones con la percepción del riesgo ("Riesgo no percibido" vs. "Riesgo percibido"). De 1961 participantes, 155 (17,0%), 62 (12,4%), 128 (17,2%) de los participantes en Montreal, Toronto y Vancouver, informaron comportamiento sexual de alto riesgo. El comportamiento sexual de alto riesgo se mostró asociado con riesgo percibido. El optimismo sobre el tratamiento modero la asociación. Promover la conciencia sobre los avances relacionados con la prevención y el tratamiento del VIH es importante para una evaluación adecuada de los riesgos y una mayor participación en las intervenciones de prevención.

Large environmental changes reduce valence-dependent belief updating.

When updating beliefs, humans tend to integrate more desirable information than undesirable information. In stable environments (low uncertainty and high predictability), this asymmetry favors motivation towards action and perceived self-efficacy. However, in changing environments (high uncertainty and low predictability), this process can lead to risk underestimation and increase unwanted costs. Here, we examine how people (n = 388) integrate threatening information during an abrupt environmental change (mandatory quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic). Given that anxiety levels are associated with the magnitude of the updating belief asymmetry; we explore its relationship during this particular context. We report a significant reduction in asymmetrical belief updating during a large environmental change as individuals integrated desirable and undesirable information to the same extent. Moreover, this result was supported by computational modeling of the belief update task. However, we found that the reduction in asymmetrical belief updating was not homogeneous among people with different levels of Trait-anxiety. Individuals with higher levels of Trait-anxiety maintained a valence-dependent updating, as it occurs in stable environments. On the other hand, updating behavior was not associated with acute anxiety (State-Anxiety), health concerns (Health-Anxiety), or having positive expectations (Trait-Optimism). These results suggest that highly uncertain environments can generate adaptive changes in information integration. At the same time, it reveals the vulnerabilities of individuals with higher levels of anxiety to adapt the way they learn.

Exhausting care: On the collateral realities of caring in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We explore care as a site of multiplicity and tension. Working with the qualitative interview accounts of nineteen health care workers in Colombia, we trace a narrative of 'exhausting care' in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Accounts relate exhausting care to working without break in response to extraordinary demand, heightened contagion concern, the pressures of caring in the face of anticipated death, and efforts to carry on caring in the face of constraint. We bring together the work of John Law (2010, 2011) on 'collateral realities' with Lauren Berlant's (2011) thesis of 'cruel optimism' to explore care as a site of practice in which the promise of the good can also become materialised as harm, given structural conditions. Through the reflexive narrative of 'carrying on' in the face of being 'worn down' by care, a narrative which runs through health care worker accounts, we draw attention to the collateral realities of exhausting care as personal and political, at once a practice of endurance and extraction. We argue that the exhausting care that relates to the extraordinariness of the Covid-19 pandemic also resides in the ordinariness, and slower violence, of the everyday. The cruel optimism of care is a relation in which the labour of care reproduces a harmful situation.

Perceived stress, optimism-pessimism, psychological adjustment, and death distress of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic / Estrés percibido, optimismo-pesimismo, ajuste psicológico y angustia ante la muerte en profesionales de enfermería durante la pandemia de COVID-19 / Estresse percebido, otimismo-pessimismo, ajuste psicológico e angústia de morte em profissionais de enfermagem durante a pandemia de COVID-19

Objective: the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between death distress, psychological adjustment, optimism, pessimism and perceived stress among nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: this study was designed as cross-sectional/cohort. The population of the study involved 408 nurses from Northern Cyprus, which are registered as full members of the Nurse Council. The sample comprised 214 nurses, who volunteered to participate in the study. The study data was collected using a web-based online survey (Demographic form, the Coronavirus Stress Measure, The Optimism and Pessimism Questionnaire, The Brief Adjustment Scale-6, The Death Distress Scale). Results: the results indicated that perceived stress significantly and negatively predicted optimism (β = -0.21, p < 0.001) and pessimism (β = 0.38, p < 0.001). Perceived stress had significant and positive predictive effects on psychological adjustment (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) and death distress (β = 0.17, p < 0.01). Further analysis results revealed that pessimism mediates the association of stress with psychological adjustment and death distress; however, optimism only mediates the effect of stress on psychological adjustment among nurses. Conclusion: a low level of pessimism is effective in strengthening nurses' psychological adjustment skills againt perceived stress and death distress. Nurses should consider behavioral strategies to help reduce the level of pessimism during periods such as pandemics.

Objetivo: el objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la relación entre la ansiedad ante la muerte, el ajuste psicológico, el optimismo, el pesimismo y el estrés percibido entre los profesionales de enfermería que trabajaron durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Método: este estudio se diseñó como un estudio transversal/de cohortes. La población del estudio incluía a 408 profesionales de enfermería del Chipre del Norte registrados como miembros de pleno derecho del Consejo de Enfermería. La muestra consistió en 214 profesionales de enfermería que se ofrecieron voluntariamente a participar en el estudio. Los datos del estudio se recogieron a través de una encuesta online basada en la web (formulario demográfico, Medida de Estrés por Coronavirus, Cuestionario de Optimismo y Pesimismo, Escala Breve de Adaptación-6 y Escala de Sufrimiento por Muerte). Resultados: los resultados indicaron que el estrés percibido predecía significativa y negativamente el optimismo (β = -0,21, p < 0,001) y pesimismo (β = 0,38, p < 0,001). El estrés percibido tuvo efectos predictivos significativos y positivos sobre el ajuste psicológico (β = 0,31, p < 0,001) y angustia de muerte (β = 0,17, p < 0,01). Los resultados de otros análisis revelaron que el pesimismo es mediador en la asociación del estrés con el ajuste psicológico y la angustia de muerte; sin embargo, el optimismo sólo es mediador del efecto del estrés sobre el ajuste psicológico entre los profesionales de enfermería. Conclusión: un bajo nivel de pesimismo es eficaz para reforzar las habilidades de ajuste psicológico de los profesionales de enfermería frente al estrés percibido y la angustia por la muerte. Los profesionales de enfermería deberían considerar estrategias conductuales para ayudar a reducir el nivel de pesimismo durante periodos como las pandemias.

Objetivo: o objetivo deste estudo é investigar a relação entre angústia de morte, ajuste psicológico, otimismo, pessimismo e estresse percebido entre profissionais de enfermagem que trabalham durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Método: este estudo foi concebido como estudo transversal/coorte. A população do estudo envolveu 408 profissionais de enfermagem do Chipre do Norte, que estão registrados como membros plenos do Conselho de Enfermagem. A amostra foi composta por 214 profissionais de enfermagem que se ofereceram para participar do estudo. Os dados do estudo foram coletados por meio de uma pesquisa online baseada na web (formulário demográfico, Medida de Estresse por Coronavírus, Questionário de Otimismo e Pessimismo, Escala Breve de Ajuste-6 e Escala de Sofrimento por Morte). Resultados: os resultados indicaram que o estresse percebido previu significativa e negativamente o otimismo (β = -0,21, p < 0,001) e pessimismo (β = 0,38, p < 0,001). O estresse percebido teve efeitos preditivos significativos e positivos sobre o ajuste psicológico (β = 0,31, p < 0,001) e angústia de morte (β = 0,17, p < 0,01). Os resultados de outras análises revelaram que o pessimismo é mediador da associação do estresse com o ajuste psicológico e a angústia de morte; no entanto, o otimismo é mediador apenas do efeito do estresse sobre o ajuste psicológico entre os profissionais de enfermagem. Conclusão: um baixo nível de pessimismo é eficaz para fortalecer as habilidades de ajuste psicológico dos profissionais de enfermagem contra o estresse percebido e a angústia por morte. Os profissionais de enfermagem devem considerar estratégias comportamentais para ajudar a reduzir o nível de pessimismo durante períodos como os de pandemias.

Psychometric Properties of a New Mexican Optimism Scale: Ethnopsychological Approach.

BACKGROUND: In this paper, a Mexican Optimism Scale was constructed to investigate and estimate psychometric properties (reliability and validity based on the measurement model). The convergent validity and validity criterion were evaluated for a sample of young Mexicans. METHODS: The scale was presented to 848 Mexican young people aged between 17 and 30 years from three different regions of Mexico. The scale was reduced to 20 items on the basis of CFA and analyses of internal consistency. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested a three-factor structure of optimism: affective resources, positive vision and hope. The data provided evidence for convergent validity with positive affect, negative affect and coping. Additionally, males scored higher on affective resources and positive vision than females. Finally, the results support the reliability of the instrument. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric properties of the Mexican Optimism Scale proved to be highly acceptable and allow for a novel assessment of optimism from an ethnopsychological perspective. Validity, reliability and invariance were determined, as well as percentiles for the practical use of the scale. This scale may be of crucial importance for future research on optimism and health.

Adaptation to the disease, resilience and optimism in woman with breast cancer.

This research aims to determine the relationship between the variables adaptation to the disease, resilience and dispositional optimism in women with breast cancer in Montería (Colombia). This study is a descriptive-correlational type, evaluating 116 participants. The instruments applied were the Font Quality of Life Questionnaire, to assess the Index of Adaptation to Disease, Wagnild and Young's Resilience Scale (RS) and the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). The statistical program SPSS 25.0 was used for the analysis of the data. A normality test was performed which led to the application of the Spearman correlation coefficient. Findings indicated the presence of adaptation in the participants and resilient and optimistic characteristics, however, there is no significant relationship between these variables and adaptation to the disease.

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 Intolerance to Uncertainty May Mediate the Negative Effect of Discrimination on Mental Health in Migrant Population.

(1) Background: Migration causes effects on the people who migrate and on the societies that receive them, which can be positive or negative, depending on the characteristics of the interaction. One negative effect is the emergence of mental health disorders associated with the presence of discrimination, a relationship for which there is abundant evidence, although there is less research on factors that may alter this effect. (2) Objective: To evaluate the possible mediating role of optimism and intolerance to uncertainty in the relationship between discrimination and mental health. (3) Method: Nine hundred and nineteen adult Colombian migrants residing in Chile, 49.5% were men and 50.5% women, ages from 18 to 65 years, were evaluated. The Discrimination Experience Scale, BDI-IA Inventory, BAI, LOT-R and the Intolerance to Uncertainty Scale were applied. The effects were estimated using structural equation modeling. (4) Results: A mediating effect of both dispositional optimism and intolerance to uncertainty on the relationship between discrimination and mental symptomatology was observed. (5) Conclusions: The impact on individual suffering and the social cost of mental health problems require investigating variables on the relationship between discrimination and mental health, including mediators of this relationship, which turn out to be central elements in the development of future strategies for the reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Character Strengths Scale-Brief: initial psychometric studies / Escala de Forças de Caráter-Breve: estudos psicométricos iniciais

Objective Character strengths are positive human characteristics that indicate a happy and successful life. The objective was to select items for the Character Strengths Scale-Brief instrument and to identify its psychometric properties. Method Exploratory factor analysis and qualitative analysis of the items (Study 1) were performed in a database of 4,540 people who responded to the Character Strengths Scale (71 items). In Study 2, 1,014 participants responded to the Character Strengths Scale-Brief (48 items). Results The psychometric indices identified in the confirmatory factor analyses were unsatisfactory for the instrument when considering structures previously reported in the literature. Conclusion After successive analyses, the structure of two factors of first order was considered the most adequate for the Character Strengths Scale-Brief (18 items), with better fit indexes and theoretical relevance. The results were discussed in the light of the literature.

Objetivo: Forças de caráter são características humanas positivas que indicam uma vida feliz e bem-sucedida. Neste artigo, objetivou-se selecionar itens para elaborar a Escala de Forças de Caráter-Breve e identificar as propriedades psicométricas do instrumento. Método: Foram realizadas análises fatoriais exploratórias e qualitativas dos itens (Estudo 1) a partir informações coletadas em um banco de dados composto por 4.540 registros de respostas à Escala de Forças de Caráter (71 itens). No Estudo 2, 1.014 participantes responderam à Escala de Forças de Caráter-Breve (48 itens). Resultados: Os índices psicométricos identificados nas análises fatoriais confirmatórias foram insatisfatórios para o instrumento quando consideradas as estruturas relatadas anteriormente na literatura. Conclusão: Após sucessivas análises, a estrutura de dois fatores de primeira ordem foi considerada a mais adequada para a Escala de Forças de Caráter-Breve (18 itens), com melhores índices de ajuste e pertinência teórica. Os resultados foram discutidos à luz da literatura.

Well-Being amongst College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Developing Country.

College students face unique challenges that the consequences of COVID-19 might aggravate. To explore the pandemic's consequences on college students' well-being, we conducted an online survey with 634 students from a private university in Cali, Colombia. The study sought to assess students' well-being due to COVID-19, and to explore the mediating effects of optimism, gratitude, and emotional closeness on college students' well-being. Results showed that COVID-19 affected students' mental health and well-being. Being optimistic and grateful mediated with life satisfaction and happiness. Optimism, emotional closeness, and gratitude also mediated the negative effect of fear of infection and the pandemic's impact on students' academic performance. The results of this analysis will promote discussion of the implementation of coping strategies to help students thrive, promote resilience, and contribute to students' well-being and better mental health.

Relationship between resilience, optimism, and burnout in Pan-American athletes.

Aim: A series of knowledge has been developed on burnout syndrome in the sports context that has allowed to generate a solid theoretical structure that requires new contributions to delve into those aspects that have been less addressed, as is the case of optimism and resilience when it comes to linking them to the syndrome in top-performance athletes. For this purpose, the Burnout Inventory for Athletes (IBD-r), the Resilience Scale adapted to Spanish, and the Life Orientation Scale-Revised (LOT-R) for optimism were used. Methods: From this perspective, the study was approached with 121 Uruguayan athletes who participated in the last Pan-American Games, assuming practically all the subjects who have this level of sport (142) considering gender and type of sport. Results: The results indicate that 67% of the sample presents burnout symptoms for the emotional exhaustion dimension, and moderate resilience and optimism. Although there are no significant differences attributable to gender or type of sport, this contribution allows us to continue focusing on future work and further analysis. The type of sport presented statistically significant differences in relation to the personal competence dimension and the type of sport. Conclusion: Resilience and optimism obtained a clear influence on the occurrence of burnout, in a statistically negative sense, showing themselves as interesting prevention strategies for future lines of research, where it is essential to design interventions that teach emotional skills to manage adversity and prevent burnout.

Estructura factorial e Invarianza Métrica del Test de Orientación Vital en niños valorado por los padres (LOT-P) / Factor structure and metric invariance of LOT-P on children, validated by parents

Antecedentes Basada en la teoría de Carver y Scheier, el optimismo es definido como un rasgo o disposición que consta de dos dimensiones, optimismo y pesimismo. Este constructo es ampliamente estudiado por su asociación con calidad de vida y bienestar psicológico. En el contexto nacional no se cuenta con un instrumento validado para medir este constructo en población infantojuvenil. En el presente artículo, se ofrece una alternativa para su evaluación en un amplio margen de edades a través de la medición realizada por los padres y madres en dos etapas del ciclo vital infantojuvenil. Objetivo El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la estructura factorial de la versión chilena del Test de Orientación Vital en niños, niñas y jóvenes, valorado por los padres, LOT-P. Para ello, se evaluó una muestra de 392 personas, padres y madres chilenos. Resultados Para el análisis, se revisó la fiabilidad para la muestra total, por género de padres, y por grupo etario. Asimismo, para el análisis factorial confirmatorio, se revisaron los índices de ajuste comúnmente utilizados en la práctica investigativa. Los datos obtenidos proporcionan evidencia que el instrumento se ajusta a la propuesta original de Lemola y colaboradores, correspondiente a una estructura bidimensional. Asimismo, se evidenció la equivalencia de la escala entre padres y madres, como para distintos tipos etarios. Conclusiones En conclusión, la escala LOT-P posee propiedades psicométricas adecuadas para la evaluación del optimismo de los niños, niñas y jóvenes, reportado por sus padres y madres. Algunas de las limitaciones de esta investigación se relacionan con la mayor participación de personas con un nivel educacional y socioeconómico alto, por ejemplo.

Background Based on the theory by Carver y Scheier, optimism is defined as a trait or disposition consisting of two dimensions, optimism and pessimism. This construct is widely studied for its association with quality of life and psychological well-being. In the Chilean context, this construct does not have a valid measure of children and youth. This paper offers, is offered an alternative for its evaluation in a wide range of ages through the measurement carried out by the fathers and mothers. Objective For the analysis, reliability was reviewed for the total sample, by gender of parents, and by age group. Likewise, for confirmatory factor analysis, the adjustment indices commonly used in research practice were reviewed. This study aims to assess the factor structure of LOT-P on Chilean children and youth, as reported by parents. Results Data obtained on a sample of 392 Chilean parents show a good fit with the two-dimensional structure proposed by Lemola et al. Additionally, results show metric invariance between mothers and fathers, s for different age types. Conclusions Therefore, LOT-P shows psychometric properties suitable for assessing NNA optimism, as reported by parents. This investigation has some limitations related with a high educational and socioeconomic level of the participants, for example.

Otimismo, autoeficácia e percepção de empregabilidade em universitários na transição para o trabalho / Optimism, self-efficacy and perception of employability in undergraduates in the university-to-work transition / Optimismo, autoeficacia y percepción de empleabilidad en estudiantes universitarios en la transición al trabajo

O otimismo e a autoeficácia têm sido apontados como importantes para o desenvolvimento de carreira ao longo do ciclo vital. Este estudo objetiva verificar o poder preditivo do otimismo e da autoeficácia na transição para o trabalho na percepção de empregabilidade de universitários e diferenças de média entre estudantes das universidades pública e comunitária. Participaram do estudo 269 universitários e foram aplicados questionário sociodemográfico e três instrumentos. A autoeficácia e o otimismo predisseram a percepção de empregabilidade, e estudantes da universidade comunitária possuem níveis maiores dessas variáveis em comparação aos da universidade pública. Intervenções de carreira com universitários finalistas devem incluir o desenvolvimento do otimismo e da autoeficácia, de modo a auxiliar na inserção profissional e no planejamento de carreira.

Optimism and self-efficacy have been identified as important for career development throughout the life cycle. This study aims at verifying the predictive power of optimism and self-efficacy in the transition to work in the employability perception of college students and mean differences between students from public and community colleges. A sample of 269 college students participated in the study and a sociodemographic questionnaire and three instruments were applied. Self-efficacy and optimism predicted employability perception, and community college students have higher levels of these variables compared to public college students. Career interventions with last year college students should include the development of optimism and self-efficacy, in order to facilitate professional insertion and career planning.

El optimismo y la autoeficacia son importantes para el desarrollo profesional a lo largo del ciclo de vida. En este estudio con 269 estudiantes universitarios se investigó el poder predictivo del optimismo y la autoeficacia para la transición al trabajo en la percepción de empleabilidad de los estudiantes universitarios y las medias entre estudiantes de universidades públicas y comunitarias. Se aplicó un cuestionario sociodemográfico y tres instrumentos. La autoeficacia y el optimismo predijeron la percepción de empleabilidad, y los universitarios comunitarios presentan mayores niveles de estas variables. Las intervenciones de carrera con estudiantes universitarios de último año deben incluir el desarrollo del optimismo y la autoeficacia para ayudar en la inserción profesional y la planificación de la carrera.

The effects of the cognitive bias of unrealistic optimism in the adoption of preventive measures against COVID-19 in dentistry.

Introduction: The bias of unrealistic optimism is people's tendency to believe that they are less likely to experience negative events than others. Dental professionals are part of a high-risk group for COVID-19. Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate whether unrealistic optimism bias, concern, and regret can affect the adoption of preventive measures by these professionals. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of dentists recruited remotely by using an electronic form sent by email and social media. A five-point scale was used to identify whether unrealistic optimism, concern, and regret affected the adoption of preventive measures. The study included a total of 339 dentists. The group considered to be unrealistically optimistic accounted for 24.8% of the sample. Results: Unrealistic optimism negatively affected the use of protective equipment by dental professionals. Conversely, concern positively affected preventive measures. Conclusions: Although most dentists are realistic about the risk of infection compared with their peers, those with optimistic bias might be more susceptible to the disease, as they tend not to adopt recommended protective measures in the workplace. Future studies should also investigate ways of debiasing.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Positive Thinking Scale in individuals after hip fracture surgery.

Positive thinking is a form of positive cognition and a coping strategy. The Positive Thinking Scale (PTS) is used to measure positive thinking, but the reliability and validity of the PTS-Chinese have yet to be tested. This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the PTS-Chinese. A total of 154 patients post-hip fracture surgery completed the questionnaire in a hospital in Taiwan between April 2020 and December 2020. The scales in the questionnaire included the PTS, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Positive, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Negative, Barthel Index, and items related to happiness, demographics, and disease treatment. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis and average variance extracted show that the PTS-Chinese version exhibits construct validity. Scores on the PTS-Chinese version are positively related to scores on the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Positive and happiness items and negatively related to scores on the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Negative. This finding indicates that the PTS-Chinese demonstrates concurrent, predictive, and discriminant validity. The scale also presents acceptable reliability and test-retest reliability. Overall, the PTS-Chinese can be used to evaluate and track the positive thinking of patients. Further studies are needed to assess the psychometric properties of the PTS-Chinese in different cultures and ethnic groups.

Optimism and Health Self-Perception-Related Differences in Indigenous Kiwchas of Ecuador at Low and High Altitude: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Ortiz-Prado, Esteban, Katherine Simbaña-Rivera, Diego Duta, Israel Ochoa, Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy, Eduardo Vasconez, Kathia Carrasco, Manuel Calvopiña, Ginés Viscor, and Clara Paz. Optimism and health self-perception-related differences in indigenous Kiwchas of Ecuador at low and high altitude: a cross-sectional analysis. High Alt Med Biol. 23:26-36, 2022. Background: Living at high altitude causes adaptive responses at every physiological and molecular level within the human body. Emotional and psychological short- or long-term consequences, including mood changes, higher mental overload, and depression prevalence, as well as increased risk to commit suicide have been reported among highlanders. The objective of this report is to explore the differences in self-reported dispositional optimism and health perception among sex-, age-, and genotype-controlled indigenous Kiwcha natives living at two different altitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the comparison of means of subscales and summary scores of the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) self-reported questionnaire and the Life Orientation Test-Revised was conducted among 219 adults Kiwchas living at low (230 m) and high altitude (3,800 m) in Ecuador. Results: High-altitude dwellers presented lower scores in all the studied dimensions of SF-36 and the total score. Differences were found for the role limitation sphere due to vitality (p = 0.005), mental health (p = 0.002), and social functioning (p = 0.005). In all the cases, participants living at low altitudes scored higher than those living at high altitudes. Lowland women were more optimistic than their high-altitude counterparts. Conclusions: We observe that populations located at high altitudes have more unfavorable self-reported health states. Although our results depict the existence of significant differences in the health status of indigenous peoples living at different altitudes, further studies are needed to explain in depth the sociodemographic and/or environmental factors that might underlie these differences.

Feeling grateful to be optimistic: The influence of recalling special moments on feelings of gratitude and optimism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In one experiment, we tested the influence of bringing to mind the memory of a special moment versus an ordinary moment from high school on gratitude and the relationship between gratitude and optimism. Participants were first asked to report how the current pandemic has affected their lives. After, participants were randomly assigned to either recalling a special moment from their high school years or recalling an ordinary event from the same life period. Participants then completed a battery of questionnaires assessing gratitude, optimism and some demographics. Results showed a positive influence of bringing to mind the memory of a special moment on gratitude. Gratitude was then positively related to optimism. Hence, the positive relationship between recalling a special event and optimism was mediated by gratitude. Our results showed that brief interventions might help individuals see a brighter future under the current difficult conditions of prolonged lockdowns.

Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms, Distress, and Optimism in Mexican Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer are considered highly stressful and potentially traumatic events that can generate post-traumatic stress symptoms and distress among patients. Objective: This study assessed levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms, distress, and optimism, as well as differences between these conditions relative to sociodemographic and medical variables, in Mexican patients with colorectal cancer. Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed, in which 192 colorectal cancer patients over the age of 18 years participated. They filled out the following questionnaires in person: a sociodemographic and medical data questionnaire; the Event Impact Scale-Revised (EIE-R); the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); and the Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). Results: The results showed that 32.3% of the patients reported post-traumatic stress symptomatology, and 21.4% reported distress. Post-traumatic stress symptoms and distress varied according to age and monthly income. Significant differences between the sexes were also observed in the levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms and distress. Post-traumatic stress was positively and significantly related to distress, and negatively and significantly to optimism. Conclusion: Based on these data, we concluded that a significant percentage of colorectal cancer patients present high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms as well as distress, and that these levels may vary according to sociodemographic and medical characteristics.

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.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Positive Thinking Scale in individuals after hip fracture surgery

Positive thinking is a form of positive cognition and a coping strategy. The Positive Thinking Scale (PTS) is used to measure positive thinking, but the reliability and validity of the PTS-Chinese have yet to be tested. This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the PTS-Chinese. A total of 154 patients post-hip fracture surgery completed the questionnaire in a hospital in Taiwan between April 2020 and December 2020. The scales in the questionnaire included the PTS, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Positive, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Negative, Barthel Index, and items related to happiness, demographics, and disease treatment. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis and average variance extracted show that the PTS-Chinese version exhibits construct validity. Scores on the PTS-Chinese version are positively related to scores on the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Positive and happiness items and negatively related to scores on the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Negative. This finding indicates that the PTS-Chinese demonstrates concurrent, predictive, and discriminant validity. The scale also presents acceptable reliability and test-retest reliability. Overall, the PTS-Chinese can be used to evaluate and track the positive thinking of patients. Further studies are needed to assess the psychometric properties of the PTS-Chinese in different cultures and ethnic groups. (AU)