Abstract
We examined the distinctiveness of three "positive thinking" variables (self-esteem, trait hope, and positive attributional style) in predicting future high school grades, teacher-rated adjustment, and students' reports of their affective states. Seven hundred eighty-four high school students (382 males and 394 females; 8 did not indicate their gender) completed Time I measures of verbal and numerical ability, positive thinking, and indices of emotional well-being (positive affect, sadness, fear, and hostility), and Time 2 measures of hope, self-esteem, and emotional well-being. Multi-level random coefficient modelling revealed that each positive thinking variable was distinctive in some contexts but not others. Hope was a predictor of positive affect and the best predictor of grades, negative attributional style was the best predictor of increases in hostility and fear, and low self-esteem was the best predictor of increases in sadness. We also found that sadness at Time I predicted decreases in self-esteem at Time 2. The results are discussed with reference to the importance of positive thinking for building resilience. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1161-1178 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Journal of Research in Personality |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- hope
- self-esteem
- attributional style
- school grades
- adjustment
- achievement
- positive affect
- negative affect
- sadness
- hostility
- anxiety
- ACHIEVEMENT
- DEPRESSION
- PERSONALITY
- VALIDATION
- PREDICTORS
- ADJUSTMENT
- RISK
- DELINQUENCY
- PERFORMANCE
- EXPERIENCES