A new measure of children's optimism and pessimism: The youth life orientation test

Sydney Ey; Wendy Hadley; Deanna Nuttbrock Allen; Shawna Palmer; James Klosky; Daneen Deptula; Jay Thomas; Robert Cohen

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00372.x

A new measure of children's optimism and pessimism: The youth life orientation test

Sydney Ey, Wendy Hadley, Deanna Nuttbrock Allen, Shawna Palmer, James Klosky, Daneen Deptula, Jay Thomas, Robert Cohen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

121 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Optimism and pessimism are positive and negative expectations linked with well-being in adults. Research on the importance of optimism and pessimism in children is limited by the lack of a developmentally appropriate measure of children's expectations. Method: Based upon the Life Orientation Test-Revised (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994), the Youth Life Orientation Test (YLOT) is a sixteen-item self-report measure of children's optimism and pessimism. Results: Reliability and validity of the YLOT was found with 204 3rd-6th graders. Optimism also predicted fewer child-reported depressive symptoms and parent-reported behavior problems assessed three months later. Pessimism predicted more child-reported anxiety symptoms and parent-reported social and academic deficits.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	548-558
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines
Volume	46
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00372.x
State	Published - May 2005
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Children's optimism and pessimism
Measure

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

Access to Document

10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00372.x

Cite this

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AU - Hadley, Wendy

AU - Allen, Deanna Nuttbrock

AU - Palmer, Shawna

AU - Klosky, James

AU - Deptula, Daneen

AU - Thomas, Jay

AU - Cohen, Robert

PY - 2005/5

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A new measure of children's optimism and pessimism: The youth life orientation test

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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