Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026
06:46
Isolation of Exosomes from the Plasma of HIV-1 Positive Individuals
Published on: January 5, 2016
Optimistic explanatory style and dispositional optimism in HIV-infected men
J Tomakowsky1, M A Lumley, N Markowitz
1Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, 71 West Warren Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
|October 12, 2001
Summary
Optimistic explanatory style predicts worse immune status in men with HIV, while dispositional optimism shows no effect. Both optimism types correlate with fewer symptoms, but explanatory style predicts immune decline over time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology and Immunology
- Health Psychology
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- Optimism is studied for its impact on health outcomes.
- Two distinct optimism measures exist: explanatory style and dispositional optimism.
- Understanding optimism's role in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between two optimism types and health in HIV-infected men.
- To assess optimism's association with HIV symptoms and immune status (CD4 counts).
- To investigate optimism's predictive value for immune status changes over time.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional and 2-year prospective study of 78 HIV-infected men.
- Assessed Peterson and Seligman's optimistic explanatory style and Scheier and Carver's dispositional optimism.
- Controlled for demographic, clinical, and treatment variables; analyzed CD4 count changes.
Main Results:
- Optimistic explanatory style predicted greater decline in CD4 counts over 2 years.
- Both optimism types correlated with fewer HIV symptoms cross-sectionally.
- Dispositional optimism was not associated with CD4 counts; explanatory style linked to poorer immune status.
Conclusions:
- Optimism measures assess different constructs.
- Optimistic explanatory style predicts immune decline in HIV-infected men, potentially due to unique life stressors.
- While both optimism types relate to subjective health, explanatory style has long-term immune implications.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
01:14Fundamental Attribution Error
According to some social psychologists, people tend to overemphasize internal factors as explanations—or attributions—for the behavior of other people. They tend to assume that the behavior of another person is a trait of that person, and to underestimate the power of the situation on the behavior of others. They tend to fail to recognize when the behavior of another is due to situational variables, and thus to the person’s state. This erroneous assumption is called the fundamental attribution...
01:23Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques II
Personality types, particularly Type A and Type B, significantly influence how individuals respond to stress. These personality distinctions are marked by varying levels of ambition, competitiveness, and coping styles, all of which shape an individual's resilience to stressors.
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as "workaholics," they...
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as "workaholics," they...
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
01:30Unrealistic Optimism Bias
Unrealistic optimism bias is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of positive outcomes. This cognitive bias makes individuals believe they are less likely to experience failures, setbacks, or risks and more likely to succeed than others. For example, people may assume they are less prone to health issues, accidents, or financial struggles than their peers, even when they share similar risk factors.One key component of this bias is the above-average effect, where individuals perceive...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...