Title: Optimism–pessimism and adjustment in college students: Is there support for the utility of a domain-specific approach to studying outcome expectancies?
Abstract: Abstract Over the past 30 years, researchers have increasingly focused on the study of general optimism–pessimism. In this research, we examined the validity and usefulness of a domain-specific model of optimism–pessimism. We examined whether the addition of domain-specific measures of optimism–pessimism would add to the prediction of self-reported GPA, health status, family life satisfaction, financial satisfaction, and general life satisfaction. Results of regression analyses indicated that domain-specific optimism–pessimism added significantly, beyond general optimism–pessimism, in predicting each of these outcomes. Some implications for research and practice are discussed. Keywords: optimismpessimismassessmentadjustment Acknowledgments Edward C. Chang acknowledges Myung-Sook Tae and Suk-Choon Chang for their support and encouragement in making this research possible. Notes 1. In conducting our hierarchical regression analyses, we focused on determining the amount of variance accounted for between general and domain-specific optimism–pessimism in predicting study outcomes. Nonetheless, as a matter of convention, we report the standardized regression coefficients. However, interpretation problems may exist when looking at partialled correlation/regression coefficients. As Lynam, Hoyle, and Newman (2006 Lynam, DR, Hoyle, RH and Newman, JP. 2006. The perils of partialling: Cautionary tales from aggression and psychopathology. Assessment, 13: 328–341. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) have suggested, there are potential difficulties in interpreting the results of regression analyses when scores from scales used to predict outcomes are highly correlated, heterogeneous, and unreliable. Although this was not a critical issue for us (e.g., domain-specific optimism–pessimism measures displayed good internal reliability), it underscores the value of interpreting data within a meaningful theoretical framework.
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-09-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 19
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