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Article: Optimism, positive affectivity, and salivary cortisol

TitleOptimism, positive affectivity, and salivary cortisol
Authors
Issue Date2005
PublisherThe British Psychological Society. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.bps.org.uk/publications/jHH_1.cfm
Citation
British Journal Of Health Psychology, 2005, v. 10 n. 4, p. 467-484 How to Cite?
AbstractObjectives. Research on stress and salivary cortisol has focused almost exclusively on the effects of negative psychological conditions or emotional states. Little attention has been drawn to the impact associated with positive psychological conditions, which have been shown recently to have significant influences on neuroendocrine regulation. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of optimism and positive affect on salivary cortisol with the effects of their negative counterparts controlled for. Design. Optimism and pessimism, and positive and negative affectivity were studied in relation to the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol in a group of 80 Hong Kong Chinese, who provided six saliva samples over the course of a day on two consecutive days. The separate effects of optimism and positive affect on two dynamic components of cortisol secretion, awakening response, and diurnal decline were examined. Methods. Optimism and pessimism were measured using the Chinese version of the revised Life Orientation Test while generalized affects and mood states were assessed by the Chinese Affect Scale. An enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay kit (EIA) developed for use in saliva was adopted for the biochemical analysis of cortisol. Testing of major group differences associated with positive psychological conditions was carried out using two-way (group by saliva collection time) ANOVAs for repeated measures with negative psychological conditions and mood states as covariates. Results. Participants having higher optimism scores exhibited less cortisol secretion in the awakening period when the effect of pessimism and mood were controlled. This effect was more apparent in men than in women who had higher cortisol levels in the awakening period. Optimism did not have similar effect on cortisol levels during the underlying period of diurnal decline. On the other hand, higher generalized positive affect was associated with lower cortisol levels during the underlying period of diurnal decline after the effects of negative affect and mood states had been controlled. Generalized positive affect did not significantly influence cortisol secretion during the awakening period. Conclusions. These findings suggest that positive psychological resources including optimism and generalized positive affect had higher impact on cortisol secretion than their negative counterparts, and point to the need for increased attention to the potential contribution of positive mental states to well-being. © 2005 The British Psychological Society.
Persistent Identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/88106
ISSN
2023 Impact Factor: 3.5
2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 1.992
ISI Accession Number ID
References

 

DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorLai, JCLen_HK
dc.contributor.authorEvans, PDen_HK
dc.contributor.authorNg, SHen_HK
dc.contributor.authorChong, AMLen_HK
dc.contributor.authorSiu, OTen_HK
dc.contributor.authorChan, CLWen_HK
dc.contributor.authorHo, SMYen_HK
dc.contributor.authorHo, RTHen_HK
dc.contributor.authorChan, Pen_HK
dc.contributor.authorChan, CCen_HK
dc.date.accessioned2010-09-06T09:38:52Z-
dc.date.available2010-09-06T09:38:52Z-
dc.date.issued2005en_HK
dc.identifier.citationBritish Journal Of Health Psychology, 2005, v. 10 n. 4, p. 467-484en_HK
dc.identifier.issn1359-107Xen_HK
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/88106-
dc.description.abstractObjectives. Research on stress and salivary cortisol has focused almost exclusively on the effects of negative psychological conditions or emotional states. Little attention has been drawn to the impact associated with positive psychological conditions, which have been shown recently to have significant influences on neuroendocrine regulation. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of optimism and positive affect on salivary cortisol with the effects of their negative counterparts controlled for. Design. Optimism and pessimism, and positive and negative affectivity were studied in relation to the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol in a group of 80 Hong Kong Chinese, who provided six saliva samples over the course of a day on two consecutive days. The separate effects of optimism and positive affect on two dynamic components of cortisol secretion, awakening response, and diurnal decline were examined. Methods. Optimism and pessimism were measured using the Chinese version of the revised Life Orientation Test while generalized affects and mood states were assessed by the Chinese Affect Scale. An enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay kit (EIA) developed for use in saliva was adopted for the biochemical analysis of cortisol. Testing of major group differences associated with positive psychological conditions was carried out using two-way (group by saliva collection time) ANOVAs for repeated measures with negative psychological conditions and mood states as covariates. Results. Participants having higher optimism scores exhibited less cortisol secretion in the awakening period when the effect of pessimism and mood were controlled. This effect was more apparent in men than in women who had higher cortisol levels in the awakening period. Optimism did not have similar effect on cortisol levels during the underlying period of diurnal decline. On the other hand, higher generalized positive affect was associated with lower cortisol levels during the underlying period of diurnal decline after the effects of negative affect and mood states had been controlled. Generalized positive affect did not significantly influence cortisol secretion during the awakening period. Conclusions. These findings suggest that positive psychological resources including optimism and generalized positive affect had higher impact on cortisol secretion than their negative counterparts, and point to the need for increased attention to the potential contribution of positive mental states to well-being. © 2005 The British Psychological Society.en_HK
dc.languageengen_HK
dc.publisherThe British Psychological Society. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.bps.org.uk/publications/jHH_1.cfmen_HK
dc.relation.ispartofBritish Journal of Health Psychologyen_HK
dc.titleOptimism, positive affectivity, and salivary cortisolen_HK
dc.typeArticleen_HK
dc.identifier.openurlhttp://library.hku.hk:4550/resserv?sid=HKU:IR&issn=1359-107X&volume=10&issue=4&spage=467&epage=484&date=2005&atitle=Optimism,+positive+affectivity+and+salivary+cortisol+en_HK
dc.identifier.emailChan, CLW: cecichan@hku.hken_HK
dc.identifier.emailHo, SMY: munyin@hkucc.hku.hken_HK
dc.identifier.emailHo, RTH: tinho@hku.hken_HK
dc.identifier.authorityChan, CLW=rp00579en_HK
dc.identifier.authorityHo, SMY=rp00554en_HK
dc.identifier.authorityHo, RTH=rp00497en_HK
dc.description.naturelink_to_subscribed_fulltext-
dc.identifier.doi10.1348/135910705X26083en_HK
dc.identifier.pmid16238860en_HK
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-27644512040en_HK
dc.identifier.hkuros138266en_HK
dc.relation.referenceshttp://www.scopus.com/mlt/select.url?eid=2-s2.0-27644512040&selection=ref&src=s&origin=recordpageen_HK
dc.identifier.volume10en_HK
dc.identifier.issue4en_HK
dc.identifier.spage467en_HK
dc.identifier.epage484en_HK
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000232879700001-
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdomen_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridLai, JCL=7401939442en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridEvans, PD=35565484100en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridNg, SH=7403358456en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridChong, AML=35942383100en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridSiu, OT=6701627450en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridChan, CLW=35274549700en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridHo, SMY=25722730500en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridHo, RTH=8620896500en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridChan, P=36944292400en_HK
dc.identifier.scopusauthoridChan, CC=36052268100en_HK
dc.identifier.citeulike350628-
dc.identifier.issnl1359-107X-

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