1. Melina Condren mcondren@yorku.ca
Optimism and Emotional Support: Exploring Positive and Negative Outcomes in Students
Melina Condren

2. Student Stress
Students report stressors such as coursework, isolation, worries about job prospects, etc.
76% of students report feeling overwhelmed (American College Health Association, 2001).
First-year students face a variety of additional stressors during the transition from high school to university.

3. Transactional Model of Stress (Lazarus & Folkman)
Primary Appraisal
External Stressor
Stress and Coping
Secondary Appraisal

4. Positive Resources
Internal resources: optimism, psychological control, self-esteem.
External resources: money, time, social support.
Positive psychology (Seligman).
Strengths rather than weaknesses
Prevention rather than cure
Positive rather than negative outcomes

5. Optimism
Dispositional optimism is the generalized expectation of positive outcomes.
Optimism can be learned.
Unrealistic optimism can lead to negative mental and physical health outcomes.

6. Social Support Instrumental support Informational support
Tangible resources
Informational support
Identifying, understanding, and coping with problems
Emotional support
Empathy, acceptance, caring, esteem

7. Optimism and Emotional Support
Optimism and emotional support appear to be related.
Optimists may use support more effectively.
Optimists report greater levels of support than pessimists.
Do they receive more support than pessimists?
Are they more optimistic about their support networks?

8. My projects Three projects examining student well-being.
68 first-year students.
Data collected at two time points: beginning and end of fall semester.
Variables examined included optimism, emotional support, vigor, depression, and proactive coping.
Examined how optimism and emotional support act together to promote positive outcomes.

9. Vigor
Vigor is characterized by a high degree activity, energy, mental resilience, stamina, and persistence when problems arise.
Vigor is related to positive mental and physical health outcomes.

10. Vigor, Optimism and Emotional Support
Emotional support is a mediator of optimism on vigor.
Emotional Support
Optimism
Vigor

11. Depression
High rates of depression are commonly found in undergraduate samples.
22% students report having been unable to function because of depression (American College Health Association, 2001)
Depression in students has been linked to cognitive symptoms, motivational symptoms, social problems, alcohol abuse, and increased suicide risk.

12. Depression, Optimism and Emotional Support
Emotional support is a mediator of optimism on depression.
Emotional Support
Optimism
Depression

13. Reactive vs. Proactive Coping
Reactive Coping
Proactive Coping
Takes place after a stressor
Aims to compensate for loss
Risk management
Perceived threat
Takes place before a stressor
Aims to build resources
Goal management
Perceived challenge

14. Proactive Coping, Optimism and Emotional Support
Optimism leads to increased emotional support, which in turn leads to increased proactive coping.
Optimism
Emotional Support
Proactive Coping

15. Summary: Promoting Positive Outcomes
These studies suggest that optimism leads to increased emotional support, which in turn leads to various positive outcomes.
However, we cannot infer causality.
Why might optimism lead to increased support?
How can individuals develop these positive resources?

16. Questions?