Abstract
The construct validity and predictive utility of dispositional optimism were examined in a sample of 192 women professionals. By using covariance structure modeling with latent variables, opotimism (Scheier & Carver, 1985) and self-mastery (Pearlin & Schooler, 1978) were found to be empirically distinct, although substantially correlated, constructs. Furthermore, although optimism and self-mastery were significant and negatively correlated with symptoms of depression, only self-mastery was independently associated with symptom levels. In addition, no evidence was found that optimism and self-mastery interact to influence depressive symptoms. These results suggest that the apparent predictive power of optimism may derive from its substantial overlap with self-mastery. Implications for the assessment and interpretation of optimism and self-mastery are discussed.
Keywords
OptimismPsychologyPredictive powerConstruct (python library)Clinical psychologyDepressive symptomsDevelopmental psychologyDepression (economics)Predictive validitySocial psychologyAnxietyPsychiatry
MeSH Terms
AdaptationPsychologicalAdultDepressionFemaleGender IdentityHumansInternal-External ControlPersonality TestsProblem SolvingSelf ConceptSetPsychologyWomenWorking
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1990
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 59
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 132-139
- Citations
- 234
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Grant N. Marshall,
Eric L. Lang
(1990).
Optimism, self-mastery, and symptoms of depression in women professionals..
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
, 59
(1)
, 132-139.
https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.59.1.132
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1037//0022-3514.59.1.132
- PMID
- 2213485