Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease

This review investigates the role of optimism on several aspects of adjustment in the context of cancer and chronic disease. Adjustment was divided into three sections, namely psychological, physical and social adjustment. Optimism has been found to predict better psychological adjustment, and this...

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Main Authors: Wee, Sheryl Li-Yun, Teo, Esther Min, Nina Salina Suandi
Other Authors: Wan Ching
Format: Final Year Project (FYP)
Language:English
Published: 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10356/56092
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author Wee, Sheryl Li-Yun
Teo, Esther Min
Nina Salina Suandi
author2 Wan Ching
author_facet Wan Ching
Wee, Sheryl Li-Yun
Teo, Esther Min
Nina Salina Suandi
author_sort Wee, Sheryl Li-Yun
collection NTU
description This review investigates the role of optimism on several aspects of adjustment in the context of cancer and chronic disease. Adjustment was divided into three sections, namely psychological, physical and social adjustment. Optimism has been found to predict better psychological adjustment, and this was partly due to usage of lesser maladaptive but more adaptive emotion-oriented coping strategies. There is also considerable evidence that optimism affects both subjective and objective physical functioning, albeit somewhat inconsistently. Although limited in scope, research suggests that utilising more coping strategies such as finding benefit and proactive behaviour, and minimising the use of avoidant coping may be useful in explaining how optimists have higher physical adjustment. For social adjustment, optimists have been found to have better social functioning and higher perceived social support. A summary model is presented to integrate the research findings in this area and to facilitate future research. Grounds for inconsistencies in the literature are also stated, and future directions are outlined.
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spelling ntu-10356/560922019-12-10T12:22:19Z Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease Wee, Sheryl Li-Yun Teo, Esther Min Nina Salina Suandi Wan Ching School of Humanities and Social Sciences DRNTU::Social sciences::Psychology This review investigates the role of optimism on several aspects of adjustment in the context of cancer and chronic disease. Adjustment was divided into three sections, namely psychological, physical and social adjustment. Optimism has been found to predict better psychological adjustment, and this was partly due to usage of lesser maladaptive but more adaptive emotion-oriented coping strategies. There is also considerable evidence that optimism affects both subjective and objective physical functioning, albeit somewhat inconsistently. Although limited in scope, research suggests that utilising more coping strategies such as finding benefit and proactive behaviour, and minimising the use of avoidant coping may be useful in explaining how optimists have higher physical adjustment. For social adjustment, optimists have been found to have better social functioning and higher perceived social support. A summary model is presented to integrate the research findings in this area and to facilitate future research. Grounds for inconsistencies in the literature are also stated, and future directions are outlined. Bachelor of Arts 2014-04-03T06:10:55Z 2014-04-03T06:10:55Z 2014 2014 Final Year Project (FYP) http://hdl.handle.net/10356/56092 en Nanyang Technological University 49 p. application/pdf
spellingShingle DRNTU::Social sciences::Psychology
Wee, Sheryl Li-Yun
Teo, Esther Min
Nina Salina Suandi
Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease
title Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease
title_full Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease
title_fullStr Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease
title_full_unstemmed Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease
title_short Dispositional optimism is the best medicine : the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease
title_sort dispositional optimism is the best medicine the power of positive expectations on adjustment to cancer and chronic disease
topic DRNTU::Social sciences::Psychology
url http://hdl.handle.net/10356/56092
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