New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic
Introduction Individuals’ beliefs about COVID-19 pandemic may affect their health-related behavior including self-isolation. “Positive” beliefs may be realistic (constructive belief that efforts help to prevent infection and spread of the virus) or rose-colored glasses (defensive belief that coro...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821007598/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1827753643057610752 |
|---|---|
| author | T. Gordeeva O. Sychev |
| author_facet | T. Gordeeva O. Sychev |
| author_sort | T. Gordeeva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Individuals’ beliefs about COVID-19 pandemic may affect their health-related behavior including self-isolation. “Positive” beliefs may be realistic (constructive belief that efforts help to prevent infection and spread of the virus) or rose-colored glasses (defensive belief that coronavirus problem is exaggerated aimed to cope with anxiety) with different consequences for behavior and mental health.
Objectives
Objectives: The aim was to develop the scales of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic (DCO-Covid) and analyze their psychometric properties, factor structure using CFA, internal consistency and validity.
Methods
The sample comprised 1403 university students (68% women, M=20.59, SD=3.66) from large cities of Russia. Online survey conducted from 10/4/2020 till 25/4/2020. Test battery included the scales of constructive and defensive optimism (each of 3 items) and measure of dispositional optimism (LOT-R, Scheier et al., 1994). Part of the sample (N=306) completed anxiety in a pandemic questionnaire (Tkhostov, Rasskazova, 2020).
Results
CFA indicated a good fit for the two-factor model (χ2=27.11, df=8, p<.001, CFI =.985, TLI=.971, RMSEA = .041, p[RMSEA≤.05] = .78) with negative correlations between factors (–.28). Cronbach’s alpha for defensive optimism and constructive optimism were α=.75 and α=.70 respectively. As expected constructive and defensive optimism correlated with dispositional optimism (r=.24; p < .001 and r=–.06; p<.05 respectively) and anxiety (fear of infection, r=.08; n.s and r= –.23; p < .001).
Conclusions
The results show that DCO-C is a reliable measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic. The construct validity of these scales is confirmed by CFA and obtained correlations.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:38:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bc014b71cefb4986b6f3f593c6a6c63f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:38:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc014b71cefb4986b6f3f593c6a6c63f2023-11-17T05:09:07ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S283S28310.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.759New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemicT. Gordeeva0O. Sychev1Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian FederationResearch Department, Shukshin Altai State University for Humanities and Pedagogy, Moscow, Russian Federation Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics and Department of Psychology Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation Introduction Individuals’ beliefs about COVID-19 pandemic may affect their health-related behavior including self-isolation. “Positive” beliefs may be realistic (constructive belief that efforts help to prevent infection and spread of the virus) or rose-colored glasses (defensive belief that coronavirus problem is exaggerated aimed to cope with anxiety) with different consequences for behavior and mental health. Objectives Objectives: The aim was to develop the scales of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic (DCO-Covid) and analyze their psychometric properties, factor structure using CFA, internal consistency and validity. Methods The sample comprised 1403 university students (68% women, M=20.59, SD=3.66) from large cities of Russia. Online survey conducted from 10/4/2020 till 25/4/2020. Test battery included the scales of constructive and defensive optimism (each of 3 items) and measure of dispositional optimism (LOT-R, Scheier et al., 1994). Part of the sample (N=306) completed anxiety in a pandemic questionnaire (Tkhostov, Rasskazova, 2020). Results CFA indicated a good fit for the two-factor model (χ2=27.11, df=8, p<.001, CFI =.985, TLI=.971, RMSEA = .041, p[RMSEA≤.05] = .78) with negative correlations between factors (–.28). Cronbach’s alpha for defensive optimism and constructive optimism were α=.75 and α=.70 respectively. As expected constructive and defensive optimism correlated with dispositional optimism (r=.24; p < .001 and r=–.06; p<.05 respectively) and anxiety (fear of infection, r=.08; n.s and r= –.23; p < .001). Conclusions The results show that DCO-C is a reliable measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic. The construct validity of these scales is confirmed by CFA and obtained correlations. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821007598/type/journal_articleconstructive optimismquestionnaireCOVID-19 pandemicDefensive optimism |
| spellingShingle | T. Gordeeva O. Sychev New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic European Psychiatry constructive optimism questionnaire COVID-19 pandemic Defensive optimism |
| title | New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | New measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | new measure of defensive and constructive optimism towards covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | constructive optimism questionnaire COVID-19 pandemic Defensive optimism |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821007598/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tgordeeva newmeasureofdefensiveandconstructiveoptimismtowardscovid19pandemic AT osychev newmeasureofdefensiveandconstructiveoptimismtowardscovid19pandemic |