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Dispositional optimism and coping: a meta-analytic review
Lise Solberg Nes1, Suzanne C Segerstrom
1Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA.
Summary
Optimism promotes better stress adjustment by encouraging approach coping strategies and discouraging avoidance coping. This relationship is strongest in English-speaking populations, highlighting optimism's role in adaptive coping mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Dispositional optimism is linked to improved adjustment across various stressors.
- Coping strategies are a key mechanism mediating the optimism-adjustment relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To meta-analytically review the impact of dispositional optimism on coping strategies.
- To examine the association between dispositional optimism and approach vs. avoidance coping.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis synthesizing findings from 50 studies.
- Involved a total of 11,629 participants.
- Examined correlations between dispositional optimism and coping strategy use.
Main Results:
- Dispositional optimism positively correlated with approach coping (r = .17).
- Dispositional optimism negatively correlated with avoidance coping (r = -.21).
- The approach-avoidance distinction showed larger effect sizes than problem-emotion focused coping.
Conclusions:
- Optimists utilize more adaptive coping strategies, favoring approach over avoidance.
- Optimists appear to flexibly adjust coping strategies based on stressor demands.
- The optimism-coping link is more pronounced in English-speaking samples.