Psilocybin increases optimistic engagement over time: computational modelling of behaviour in rats.

Psilocybin has shown promise as a novel pharmacological intervention for treatment of depression, where post-acute effects of psilocybin treatment have been associated with increased positive mood and decreased pessimism. Although psilocybin is proving to be effective in clinical trials for treatment of psychiatric disorders, the information processing mechanisms affected by psilocybin are not well understood. Here, we fit active inference and reinforcement learning computational models to a novel two-armed bandit reversal learning task capable of capturing engagement behaviour in rats. The model revealed that after receiving psilocybin, rats achieve more rewards through increased task engagement, mediated by modification of forgetting rates and reduced loss aversion. These findings suggest that psilocybin may afford an optimism bias that arises through altered belief updating, with translational potential for clinical populations characterised by lack of optimism.

Lack of optimistic bias during social evaluation learning reflects reduced positive self-beliefs in depression and social anxiety, but via distinct mechanisms.

Processing social feedback optimistically may maintain positive self-beliefs and stable social relationships. Conversely, a lack of this optimistic bias in depression and social anxiety may perpetuate negative self-beliefs and maintain symptoms. Research investigating this mechanism is scarce, however, and the mechanisms by which depressed and socially anxious individuals respond to social evaluation may also differ. Using a range of computational approaches in two large datasets (mega-analysis of previous studies, n = 450; pre-registered replication study, n = 807), we investigated how depression (PHQ-9) and social anxiety (BFNE) symptoms related to social evaluation learning in a computerized task. Optimistic bias (better learning of positive relative to negative evaluations) was found to be negatively associated with depression and social anxiety. Structural equation models suggested this reflected a heightened sensitivity to negative social feedback in social anxiety, whereas in depression it co-existed with a blunted response to positive social feedback. Computational belief-based learning models further suggested that reduced optimism was driven by less positive trait-like self-beliefs in both depression and social anxiety, with some evidence for a general blunting in belief updating in depression. Recognizing such transdiagnostic similarities and differences in social evaluation learning across disorders may inform approaches to personalizing treatment.

Care burden and associated factors among caregivers of patients with bipolar type I disorder.

BACKGROUND: Family caregivers play a significant role in providing care for these people at home and need new evidence on the outcomes of their caregiving. Caregiving for people with chronic psychiatric disorders, especially Bipolar type I Disorder (BD-I), is a major challenge in the healthcare system. This study aimed to examine the relationship between caregiver burden, resilience and optimism in family caregivers of patients with BD-I. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design and involved 209 family caregivers of people with BD-I by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). The participants were selected from the list of family caregivers covered by the Ibn Sina Hospital's health clinic in Mashhad, Iran. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The average ages of the caregivers and their patients were 45.43 (13.34) and 36.7 (14.05), respectively. The average caregiver burden score was 41.92 (19.18), which was moderate (31 to 60). The predictors of caregiver burden in this study were caregiver-related factors such as optimism (p < 0.001, ß = 0.25) and employment status (housewife: p = 0.038, ß = 0.43; self-employed: p = 0.007, ß = 0.12; retired: p < 0.001, ß = 0.23), and patient-related factors such as the presence of psychotic symptoms (p < 0.001, ß = 0.33), daily caregiving hours (p < 0.001, ß = 0.16), history of suicide attempts (p = 0.035, ß = 0.43), and alcohol consumption (p < 0.001, ß = 0.85). These variables explained 58.3% of the variance in caregiver burden scores. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that family caregivers of people with BD-I had moderate levels of caregiver burden and low resilience, influenced by various factors related to themselves and their patients. Psychological education interventions within the framework of mental health support systems are recommended to reduce caregiver burden in these people.

Body appreciation is associated with optimism/pessimism in patients with chronic kidney disease: Results from a cross-sectional study and validation of the Arabic version of the Optimism-Pessimism Short Scale-2.

BACKGROUND: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients encounter many obstacles that affect their physical and psychological well-being. The primary objective of the present study was to investigate potential correlates of optimism/pessimism in a sample of patients with CKD, including socio-demographics, body appreciation and disordered eating symptoms. As a secondary objective, we proposed to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Optimism-Pessimism Short Scale-2 (SOP2) before its use in our sample. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out between April and May 2023, enrolling 108 participants from three hospitals in Lebanon providing insights into their sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity levels, body appreciation, optimism, pessimism, and eating attitudes. RESULTS: Results indicated that the Arabic-language adaptation of the SOP2 has good reliability coefficients. The two facets of the scale displayed a strong correlation to each other, and highly similar correlations with external study variables (i.e., household crowding index, physical activity, body appreciation, disordered eating), suggesting that the SOP2 can be interpreted as a unidimensional measure for the psychological dispositional optimism as proposed by the developers. Furthermore, findings revealed a strong positive correlation between body appreciation and optimism, suggesting that CKD patients who appreciate their bodies tend to exhibit a more optimistic outlook on life. Conversely, higher body appreciation is associated with lower pessimism, indicating that a positive body image may mitigate feelings of hopelessness and despair in CKD patients. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it offers the Arabic SOP2 as an brief tool to administer, and psychometrically sound instrument that can be useful for clinical and research purposes. Second, it unveils a clear correlation between higher body appreciation and a more optimistic, less pessimistic mindset in patients with CKD.

Psychological capital and social class: A capital approach to understanding positive psychological states and their role in explaining social inequalities.

Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a multidimensional concept entailing hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience. This paper argues that it can be considered a form of "capital" explaining social inequality. We test whether PsyCap can be integrated into the Bourdieusian capital framework by assessing its relationship with social, economic, and cultural capital. We also identify different types of social positions based on the volume and composition of psychological, economic, cultural, and social capital. We use cross-sectional data from the European Social Survey of 2012 (N = 35,313 respondents; 29 countries). To test the associations with the Bourdieusian capital types, we calculated multilevel spearman rank correlations and performed confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Latent Class Analysis identified different types of social positions. We found positive weak correlations between PsyCap and the indicators of cultural capital (r ≤ .14) and positive moderate correlations with the indicators of economic and social capital (r ≤ .24). The results of the CFA showed that the fit of the 4-capital model was superior to that of the 3-capital model. We identified six types of social positions: two deprived types (with overall low capital levels); two well-off types (with overall high capital levels) and two types with high psychological and social capital in combination with varying levels of cultural and economic capital. Including PsyCap in the Bourdieusian capital framework acknowledges the power of positive psychological states regarding processes of social mobility and social inequality on the one hand and calls for understanding PsyCap as a social and group-level phenomenon on the other hand. As such, integrating PsyCap into the Bourdieusian framework can help to address the longstanding issue of understanding the relationship between social and individual differences in the study of social inequalities.

The impact of deep learning based- psychological capital with ideological and political education on entrepreneurial intentions.

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of psychological capital on college students' entrepreneurial intentions. Through a combination of relevant analysis and linear regression, the primary focus is on exploring the relationship between psychological capital and its four dimensions with entrepreneurial intentions. Firstly, the items in the psychological capital questionnaire were revised to align more closely with entrepreneurial contexts. Subsequently, the average deviations and standard deviations of each dimension of psychological capital were analyzed. Then, the correlation between psychological capital and entrepreneurial intentions was examined to explore the extent of their relationship. Finally, regression analysis was conducted on both psychological capital and entrepreneurial intentions, and utilizing a recurrent neural network model, the covariant relationship between entrepreneurial psychological capital and intentions was explored. The results indicated that the average scores for entrepreneurial self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience were 3.91, 4.27, 4.19, and 4.15, respectively. The average value of psychological capital was 4.13, indicating a moderately high level. The correlation analysis between psychological capital and entrepreneurial intentions yielded a result of 0.562, indicating a moderate degree of correlation. The correlation coefficients of the four dimensions with entrepreneurial intentions were 0.390, 0.494, 0.531, and 0.467, respectively. The standardized coefficients for psychological capital and its four dimensions were 0.564, 0.382, 0.510, 0.536, and 0.468, all of which were statistically significant. Overall, psychological capital exhibited better predictive power for entrepreneurial intentions than its individual dimensions. The results from the deep learning model similarly demonstrated the positive role of psychological capital in entrepreneurial intentions, though the influence of ideological and political education (IPE) factors was relatively weaker. In conclusion, both psychological capital and IPE have a promotive effect on entrepreneurial intentions. This study provides a reference for the accurate evaluation of college students' entrepreneurial intentions.

A network analysis of daily stressors, subjective well-being, psychological distress and psychological capital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: There is already considerable evidence suggesting the potential existence of a comprehensive system that reflects how individuals utilize psychological capital (PsyCap) to preserve mental health amid daily stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore the underlying mechanism of this system, the current study is the first to use network analysis showing the dimension-level correlation patterns of daily stressors, subjective well-being (SWB), psychological distress and PsyCap during the pandemic. METHOD: We recruited 1556 participants in China and assessed daily stressors, SWB, psychological distress, and PsyCap through self-report questionnaires. A dimension-level network analysis was conducted to identify key dimensions and their associations. Relative importance analysis examined the contribution of each PsyCap dimension to SWB and psychological distress. RESULT: Depression, anxiety and stress demonstrated high strength, and life satisfaction exhibited the highest bridge strength in the network. The great majority dimensions of daily stressors had positive connections with stress and anxiety, while financial restrictions and dissatisfaction with education/occupation had negative connections with life satisfaction. Self-efficacy and optimism were positively connected with life satisfaction. Hope and resilience were negatively connected with stress, as well as hope and optimism were negatively connected with depression. Optimism and self-efficacy made the highest contribution to SWB, while resilience made the highest contribution to psychological distress among PsyCap dimensions. CONCLUSION: The findings elucidate the intricate relationship between daily stressors, SWB, psychological distress and PsyCap during the pandemic. Targeted interventions focusing on the specific PsyCap dimensions may enhance mental health outcomes in the post-COVID-19 era.

Unveiling the power of optimism: Exploring behavioral and neuromolecular correlates of alcohol seeking and drinking in rats with biased judgement.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a common psychiatric condition with substantial global mortality. Despite extensive research into its pathophysiology, the cognitive predispositions driving alcohol dependence are less understood. This study explores whether biased cognition, specifically traits of optimism and pessimism, predicts susceptibility to alcohol-seeking behaviors using an animal model. Rats were initially tested for judgement bias through Ambiguous Cue Interpretation tests. Those identified as 'optimistic' or 'pessimistic' were further examined for their tendency to escalate alcohol intake using the intermittent access 2-bottle choice (2BC) paradigm. Additionally, we assessed how judgement bias influenced the development of compulsive alcohol-seeking behavior in a Seeking-Taking (ST) and Seeking-Taking Punishment tasks, alcohol-seeking motivation in the Progressive Ratio Schedule of Reinforcement paradigm, the speed of extinction, and reinstatement after abstinence. Neurochemical analyses were conducted to investigate trait-specific differences in neurotransmitter-related gene expression and receptor densities in the brain. We used TaqMan Gene Expression Array Cards to analyze expression levels of genes linked to serotonergic, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic pathways, and alcohol metabolism in various brain regions. Receptor densities for 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and D2 were measured using autoradiography analysis. Behaviorally, 'optimistic' rats showed significantly lower alcohol consumption in the 2BC paradigm compared to 'pessimistic' rats. This lowered intake correlated with decreased monoamine oxidase-A (Maoa) expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and increased metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (Grm2) expression in the amygdala (Amy). Additionally, we observed significant interactions between judgement bias and alcohol intake in the expression of several genes in the mPFC, nucleus accumbens (Nacc), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and Amy, as well as in 5-HT2A receptor binding in the Nacc. Overall, these results suggest that optimism is linked to lower alcohol consumption and related neurochemical changes, indicating a potential cognitive mechanism in AUD risk.

Emerging adults' emotions toward their siblings with down syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Typically-developing siblings of individuals with Down Syndrome often experience complex emotions towards their sibling. This study explored how social support, personal resources (optimism, sense of coherence [SOC]), and individual variables (sex, religious affiliation, siblings' functionality) may impact emerging adult siblings' emotions toward their sibling with Down Syndrome. METHODS: Participants were 292 siblings of individuals with DS ranging in age from 18-27 (M=21.54, SD=2.50). Participants completed self-report questionnaires exploring optimism, SOC, support, and acceptance. RESULTS: Higher levels of support and optimism were positively associated with positive emotions, and higher SOC with lower levels of negative emotions. Siblings' functionality and religious affiliation interacted with variables to predict emotions. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to a greater understanding of how emotions may play a role in sibling relations during the emerging adulthood stage. It also provides unique insight into how religious affiliation may be associated with more positive outcomes for siblings.

An outside individual option increases optimism and facilitates collaboration when groups form flexibly.

Voluntary participation is a central yet understudied aspect of collaboration. Here, we model collaboration as people's voluntary choices between joining an uncertain public goods provisioning in groups and pursuing a less profitable but certain individual option. First, we find that voluntariness in collaboration increases the likelihood of group success via two pathways, both contributing to form more optimistic groups: pessimistic defectors are filtered out from groups, and some individuals update their beliefs to become cooperative. Second, we reconcile these findings with existing literature that highlights the detrimental effects of an individual option. We argue that the impact of an outside individual option on collaboration depends on the "externality" of loners - the influence that those leaving the group still exert on group endeavors. Theoretically and experimentally, we show that if collaboration allows for flexible group formation, the negative externality of loners remains limited, and the presence of an individual option robustly aids collaborative success.

Psychological capital variables as protective factors in indigenous youth experiencing homelessness.

Indigenous youth in the United States are at high-risk for experiencing homelessness related to adverse childhood experiences such as parental substance use and low educational attainment. Such experiences may lead to adverse physical and mental health issues; these youth also have positive attributes of psychological capita (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, optimism) that are related to health outcomes. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to describe demographic attributes and psychological capital in Indigenous youth experiencing homelessness (IYEH) who participated in a longitudinal intervention study related to safe sex behaviors and life satisfaction. From a total of 602, Indigenous participants (n = 111; mean age 21.25 ± 1.82 years) were recruited from drop-in centers in Austin, Texas and Columbus, Ohio. Data were collected immediately after the intervention and at 3- and 6-month intervals. For this analysis, only data collected at the final time-point were used. Valid scales with Cronbach alphas of 0.75-0.92 (Hope, Resilience, Optimism, Self-efficacy for Substance Refusal, Self-efficacy for Safer Sex, Safe Sex Behaviors, Social Connectedness, and Life Satisfaction) were used. The majority of the IYEH reported smoking, drinking, and using drugs. Psychological capital variables of hope, self-efficacy for negotiating safer sex, resilience, and optimism were significantly related to one another, but not to safe sex behaviors or intention to use condoms. Resilience and optimism were significantly related to social connectedness but not to other psychological capital variables. Life satisfaction was significantly associated with hope, resilience, and optimism. Findings have implications for further theory and research development.

Relations of optimism and purpose in life to immune markers in aging.

OBJECTIVE: Optimism and purpose in life are associated with improved health outcomes. More information is needed on biological mechanisms, including immunosenescence. We investigated if psychological well-being is associated with healthier immunosenescence-related measures including naïve and terminally differentiated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell percentages, CD4+:CD8+, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG response. METHODS: Participants were adults over age 50 from the Health and Retirement Study. Optimism was measured using the Life Orientation Test Revised. Purpose in life was assessed using the subscale from the Ryff psychological well-being measure. We examined the cross-sectional associations of optimism and purpose in life with measures of T cell subsets using linear regression and with CMV IgG using ordered logit regression, controlling for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: The final analytic sample ranged from 7250 to 7870. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, a 1-SD increment in optimism was associated with the percentage of naïve CD4+ T cells increasing by 0.6 (95%CI 0.2%, 1.0%). A 1-SD increment in purpose in life was associated with the percentage of naïve CD4+ T cells increasing by 0.9 (95%CI 0.5%, 1.3%) after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and the association was maintained after further adjustments for health conditions, depression, and health behaviors. For naïve CD8+ T cell percentages, CD4:CD8 ratios, and CMV IgG antibodies, associations were seen only in models that adjusted for age. No significant associations were seen in any models for the terminally differentiated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS: We found associations of optimism and purpose in life with naïve CD4+ T cell percentages.

The bidirectional relationships of optimism and pessimism with depressive symptoms in adulthood - A 15-year follow-up study from Northern Finland Birth Cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Low optimism and high pessimism have predicted depressive symptoms in several studies, but the associations in the other direction, from depressive symptoms to future optimism and pessimism, have been unexplored. We examined bidirectional associations of optimism and pessimism with depressive symptoms in adulthood. METHODS: A population-based sample of 4011 Finnish adults (55 % women) was analyzed with a 15-year prospective follow-up period from age 31 to age 46. Optimism and pessimism were measured with the Life Orientation Test-Revised, and depressive symptoms were measured with the Symptom Checklist-25. Temporal associations were investigated with cross-lagged panel models. RESULTS: According to the model fit indices (RMSEA < 0.04, CFI ≥ 0.97) optimism and pessimism had bidirectional relationships with depressive symptoms: optimism predicted lower depressive symptoms (ß = -0.09, p < .001), and depressive symptoms predicted lower optimism (ß = -0.10, p < .001) in the follow-up. Also, pessimism predicted higher depressive symptoms (ß = 0.08, p < .001), and depressive symptoms predicted higher pessimism (ß = 0.09, p < .001) in the follow-up. In the participants with clinically high depressive symptoms at age 31, the predictive associations from optimism and pessimism to depressive symptoms remained, but associations in the other direction were attenuated. LIMITATIONS: The follow-up study included only two time points with a 15-year time gap, which does not consider the possible fluctuation in the study variables between the measured times. CONCLUSION: Dispositional optimism and pessimism may have bidirectional relationships with depressive symptoms in adulthood when the baseline depressive symptoms are below the clinical level.