Who is more proactive,the optimist or the pessimist? Exploring the role of hope as a moderator

This research tested the existence of a moderation role of hope on the effects of optimism and pessimism over proactive coping in a sample survey of 343 subjects. The results showed that optimism explained proactive coping, independent of hope. However, hope appeared to moderate the relationship between pessimism and passive coping, a criterion variable that emerged from the psychometric analysis of the proactive coping measure. Specifically, for individuals low in pessimism, being high or low in hope did not impact coping, but for individuals high in pessimism, having higher levels of hope reduced passive coping. A deeper analysis also indicated that this was particularly due to the moderating role of the pathways dimension of hope. We discuss these results in light of different adaptive strategies of optimists and pessimists and draw implications for psychological research and practice.     

Psychoimmunology and aids: Psychological distress and herpes simplex virus in human immunodeficiency virus infected individuals

Abstract

No studies investigating the relationship of herpesviruses and psychological distress in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection are available in the literature. Antibody titers for Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr (EBV) and Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) were assessed from sera drawn at the lime of psychological testing for one hundred HIV seropositive subjects. Increased psychological distress was correlated with increased titers of antibody to HSV, but not to CMV or EBV. Psychological distress may play a role in the devastating HSV infections experienced by immune deficient individuals. A stress mediated reactivation/potentiation hypothesis is discussed, where distress reactivates latent HSV which in turn potentiates HIV replication. These results may have implications for treatment of individuals co-infected with HIV and HSV.     

The Psychology of Men's Health

Abstract

Although numerous measures of coping have been presented in the literature, many suffer from methodological flaws. This article argues that efforts to improve coping assessment should not be limited to enhancing psychometric quality, since methodological shortcomings reflect more basic underlying conceptual problems of the coping constud. TWO types of problems in coping assessment are discussed, based on a review of well-known coping measures. The first concerns conceptual issues, such as the process versus trait approach to cop ing and the lack of clear theoretical guidelines for systematic exploration of the appropriate measurement level and number of coping dimensions. He second concerns the issue of developing appropriate techniques to evaluate psychometric properties of proass measures of coping. Several recommendations for improving the quality of coping assessment are suggested.     

An Examination of the Effects of Stress Management Training for Japanese College Students of Social Work

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a stress-management program for college students of social work on their perception of mental stress and stress-coping strategies. Students in a stress-management group received progressive muscle training, cognitive-behavioral skills training, and assertion training for 14 weeks. Their life events, stress symptoms, and stress-coping skills (active and passive coping skills), evaluated on the first and last days of program, were compared with those of a control group. The effect of the participants' trait anxiety on those variables was also examined. Because the stress-management program in the present study focused on coping strategies, it was expected that the students' coping skills would change. The results showed that passive coping skills of students in the stress-management group had decreased after the program.     

大学生心理压力应对方式特点的研究

本研究采用自编的大学生压力应对方式闯卷,考察了全国各地2007名大学生心理压力应对方式的特点。结果表明：(1)大学生压力应对方式问卷具有良好的内容效度和预测能力,内部一致性和测量稳定性理想;(2)大学生的压力应对方式总体上以心理调节机制为主,自我防御和外部疏导机制使用较少;(3)在压力的应对方式上,大一学生以外部求助、压抑、幻想和调整情绪方式为主,大二、大三学生以自我防御方式和总结经验为主,大四学生则较多采用心理调节机制的方式;(4)女生的应对方式比男生更积极,农村来源的大学生倾向于压抑自己和总结经验,城市来源的学生更喜欢宣泄压力,独生子女的应对方式以消极防御机制居多。     

预先应对:一种面向未来的应对

预先应对是个体针对未来的潜在压力源所提前采取的预防性措施。文章阐述了预先应对的概念及特点,分析了预先应对的发展阶段和影响因素并讨论了预先应对对个体的利与弊。     

中学生压力生活事件、人格特点对压力应对的影响

本研究对329名中学生进行了问卷调查,试图探讨压力生活事件,人格特点和压力应对三者之间的关系.研究发现(1)中学生的压力生活事件主要来自于学习、父母、老师和同伴、环境、自我发展和时间6个方面,其中学习压力是中学生的主要压力;(2)中学生的人格可以用五因素来描述,即外向性、宜人性、谨慎性、开放性和情绪性;(3)中学生的应对压力方式主要有主动型应对和回避型应对;(4)人格五因素中的谨慎性、开放性和宜人性对主动型应对具有正向预测作用.年级变量和人格五因素中的外向性和开放性对回避型应对既有直接影响,又通过影响压力强度对回避型应对起间接作用.     

The approach‐avoidance framework for identifying athletes’ coping style as a function of gender and race

Anshel, M.H., Kang, M. & Miesner, M. (2010). The approach‐avoidance framework for identifying athletes’ coping style as a function of gender and race. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. The purpose of this study was to identify the coping styles of competitive athletes as a function of gender and race in response to events experienced during the contest perceived as highly stressful using the approach and avoidance coping framework. Participants (N = 218) consisted of 111 males (48 African American and 63 Caucasian) and 107 females (41 African American and 66 Caucasian), and ranged in age from 18 to 54 yrs (M ± SD; 22.29 ± 3.9 yrs). They attended a university in the southeastern US, and were considered highly skilled athletes based on their current or former participation as competitive athletes. A 12‐item inventory was completed consisting of six approach coping and six avoidance coping strategy items. Confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability and Cronbach’s alpha indicated acceptable model‐data fit and internal scale consistency. The results suggested the athletes’ preferred coping style was avoidance, rather than approach. A 2 × 2 ANOVA showed significant main effects for gender (p = 0.003) and race (p < 0.01); males used more approach coping than females, while Caucasians applied more approach coping than African Americans. No significant interaction was found. The results indicated the need for future study on examining gender and race as moderating variables in examining athletes’ coping styles.     

应对风格问卷的初步编制

本研究提出一种关于应对风格的理论构想。根据此构想编制的应对风格问卷可将个体分为灵活应对、问题应对、情绪应对和异常应对四种应对风格。初步研究表明,此问卷具有较好的信度和效度。用此问卷对1115名被试进行了初步调查,发现灵活应对风格160人,问题应对风格420人,情绪应对风格394人,异常应对风格的141人。此量表的建立为我们今后进行压力与应对的研究提供了一个有效工具。     

积极的应对研究

积极心理学是当前心理学的趋势,应激与应对研究中亦体现着这种特点。从应激源、应对方式与过程以及应对后果(复原力)三方面,综合探讨了当前应激与应对研究领域内的新变化,认为应激与应对研究正处于积极的应对研究潮流中,并展望了对未来应激与应对的研究发展。     

应对的研究设计、测量、类别及未来研究方向

应激和应对是现代心理学研究中最广泛的一个主题, 但是目前此领域的研究存在着停滞不前的情况。应对的研究设计、测量和类别三方面是应对现有研究中具有挑战性的问题, 研究设计方面提倡纵向的动态设计, 注重情境因素的作用; 测量方面提倡加大对应对的生态瞬时评估、叙事方法的研究, 且要注意根据研究内容的需要选择合适的方法; 应对类别方面注重对意义应对的研究。应对领域未来研究方向主要包括面向未来的主动应对、二元模式的应对、应对与积极情绪三个方面。     

Do we need positive illusions to carry out plans? Illusion: and instrumental coping

This study tested the theory that positive illusions and instrumental (problem-focused) coping behaviours are related (Brown, J. D. (1993). Coping with stress: The beneficial role of positive illusions. In A. P. Turnbull, J. M. Patterson, S. K. Behr, D. L. Murphy, J. G. Marquis, & M. J. Blue-Banning (Eds.), Cognitive coping, families, and disability, Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.). Positive illusion was assessed as a discrepancy between positive bias towards the self in trait ratings and positive bias towards average others, where ratings were self-favouring. Problem-focused coping was assessed through recall of coping with a recent stressful situation. The results showed that positive illusion scores were unrelated to problem-focused coping scores. It was suggested that although individuals need to be positive to cope well they do not need positive illusions. Tests for gender differences showed that males held more positive illusions than females. No gender differences were found for problem-focused coping but females used emotion-focused coping more than males to cope with a recent stressful situation.     

The relationship of coping and its perceived effectiveness to positive and negative affect in sport

This article examined the ability of six different coping strategies and their perceived effectiveness in predicting positive and negative affect in sport. Furthermore, it was investigated whether perceived coping effectiveness moderated the influence of coping strategies on affect. British University athletes (N = 356) were requested to recall a recent important competition in their sport when they had a stressful or challenging experience. They were then asked to rate the extent to which they relied on a number of different coping strategies to deal with the situation and the degree to which they found these effective. In agreement with the theoretical predictions of Folkman (1984), problem-focused coping predicted positive affect whereas emotion-focused coping predicted negative affect. Furthermore, for almost all the coping variables, their perceived effectiveness predicted, in a positive way, positive affect and negatively, negative affect. Moreover, the perceived effectiveness of the coping strategies of seeking social support, venting of emotions, and behavioural disengagement, moderated the influence of those strategies on affect. Lastly, a comparison between high and low effective coping groups showed that the former was associated with more pleasant affective experiences.