TY - JOUR
T1 - Health and well-being consequences of optimism across 25 years in the Rochester Adult Longitudinal Study
AU - Oh, Jeewon
AU - Purol, Mariah F.
AU - Weidmann, Rebekka
AU - Chopik, William J.
AU - Kim, Eric S.
AU - Baranski, Erica
AU - Schwaba, Ted
AU - Lodi-Smith, Jennifer
AU - Whitbourne, Susan K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - How does optimism change over the lifespan and how do changes predict health and well-being? In a pre-registered analysis of the Rochester Adult Longitudinal Study, we examined changes in and outcomes of optimism over 25 years (1989–2014) in 984 adults aged 16–70. Optimism increased over time similarly across participants. However, more optimistic participants at baseline reported engaging in healthier behaviors, better health, higher life satisfaction, and higher purpose in life 25 years later. Disaggregating health behaviors, we found that health-behavior-effects were specific to physical activity and abstaining from harmful substances/food. Because participants increased in optimism at similar rates, more work is needed to examine whether changes in optimism predict outcomes, and what factors account for the homogenous change observed here.
AB - How does optimism change over the lifespan and how do changes predict health and well-being? In a pre-registered analysis of the Rochester Adult Longitudinal Study, we examined changes in and outcomes of optimism over 25 years (1989–2014) in 984 adults aged 16–70. Optimism increased over time similarly across participants. However, more optimistic participants at baseline reported engaging in healthier behaviors, better health, higher life satisfaction, and higher purpose in life 25 years later. Disaggregating health behaviors, we found that health-behavior-effects were specific to physical activity and abstaining from harmful substances/food. Because participants increased in optimism at similar rates, more work is needed to examine whether changes in optimism predict outcomes, and what factors account for the homogenous change observed here.
KW - Health
KW - Lifespan development
KW - Optimism
KW - Rochester Adult Longitudinal Study
KW - Well-being
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85133934353&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jrp.2022.104237
DO - 10.1016/j.jrp.2022.104237
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85133934353
SN - 0092-6566
VL - 99
JO - Journal of Research in Personality
JF - Journal of Research in Personality
M1 - 104237
ER -