Related Experiment Videos
Pessimistic explanatory style is a risk factor for physical illness: a thirty-five-year longitudinal study
C Peterson1, M E Seligman, G E Vaillant
1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|July 1, 1988
Summary
Pessimistic explanatory style in early adulthood predicts poorer physical health later in life. This habitual way of explaining negative events is a significant risk factor for long-term health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Health Sciences
- Longitudinal Studies
Background:
- Explanatory style, or habitual ways of explaining negative events, is a key psychological construct.
- Previous research suggests a link between psychological factors and physical health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between explanatory style in early adulthood and physical health in middle and late adulthood.
- To determine if pessimistic explanatory style predicts future health decline.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of open-ended questionnaires from 99 Harvard graduates (classes of 1942-1944) at age 25 to assess explanatory style.
- Longitudinal tracking of physical health via physician examination from ages 30 to 60.
- Statistical control for physical and mental health status at age 25.
Main Results:
- Pessimistic explanatory style, characterized by attributing negative events to stable, global, and internal factors, significantly predicted poorer physical health.
- This prediction remained significant even after controlling for baseline health at age 25.
- The association was observed for health outcomes measured between ages 45 and 60.
Conclusions:
- Pessimism in early adulthood is a notable risk factor for developing poor physical health in later life.
- Explanatory style is a valuable predictor of long-term health trajectories.
- Findings highlight the importance of psychological well-being in early adulthood for sustained physical health.