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WCPCG-2011

Relationship between Resilience, Optimism and Psychological

Well-Being in Students of Medicine
Hosein Souri a*, Turaj Hasanirad b
a
School of Educational Psychology, Psychology and Education Faculty, University of Tehran, Iran
b
Social Sciences Faculty, Payamr Noor University, Kuhdasht, Lorestan, Iran

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationships between resilience, optimism and psychological well-being. Four
hundred fourteen students of medicine (213 male and 191 female) were selected using cluster sampling and were required to fill
up the Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-Being (RSPWB), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Scheier and
Carver’s Life Orientation Test (LOT). The results revealed that resilience is able to predict psychological well-being, and
optimism played a minor mediation role in the relationship between resilience and psychological well-being. The results
indicated that psychological well-being is influenced by personal characteristics such as resilience, and the individual’s optimism
regardless of his/her degree of resilience can to some extent provide for psychological well-being.
© 2011
2011 Published
PublishedbybyElsevier Ltd.
Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and
Guidance.
Keywords: resilience, optimism, psychological well-being

1. Introduction

According to Zautra, Hall, and Murray (2010), resilience is best defined as successful adaptation to adverse
circumstances. Personal characteristics would determine resilience processes if those characteristics lead to healthy
outcomes after the stressful situations (Zautra, Hall, and Murray, 2010). In general, it seems that the concept of
resilience reflects desire for great optimism under adversity (Rutter, 2006); in other words, optimism accompanies
resilience in stressful situations (Carver, Scheier, and Segerstrom, 2010). Optimism appears to be an individual
difference variable that reflects the extent to which people hold generalized favorable expectancies for their future
(Carver, Scheier, and Segerstrom, 2010). Optimism has a major role to play in adaptation to stressful conditions.
When confronting a challenge, optimists show more resilience, even if progress is difficult and slow (Synder and
Lopez, 2002). Previous literature showed that optimism is a factor contributing to resilience, and it also has been
identified as the most influential adolescent cognitive factor to temper the effects of life stressors (Tusaie-Mumford,
2001).

* Hosein Souri. Tel.: +98-9166639722.

E-mail address: Hsoori59@yahoo.com.
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1877-0428 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.299
1542 Hosein Souri
Souri andand Turaj Hasanirad
Hasanirad / Procedia/ -Procedia - Social
Social and and Behavioral
Behavioral Sciences
Sciences 00 (2011)30 (2011) 1541 – 1544
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Psychological well-being is another variable related to resilience and optimism. The relationships between
optimism and psychological well-being have been observed in case studies as well as longitudinal studies (Wrosch
and Scheier, 2003). From Coward and Reed (1996)’s viewpoint, psychological well-being is defined as a sense of
feeling healthy leading to a complete awareness of personal integrity which also includes spiritual elements of life.
Ryff and Singer (2003) argue that resilient individuals are generally able to maintain their physical and
psychological health and have the capacity to recover more quickly from stressful events. Fredrickson (2001) states
there are evidences suggesting that resilience is effective in improving psychological well-being.

2. Methodology

The sample consisted of 414 students of medicine in Tehran and Iran Universities of Medical Sciences. The
participants were selected using random cluster sampling.

2.1. Instruments

Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). CD-RISC comprises of 25 items. Mohammadi (2005) and Jokar
(2007) reported the alpha coefficient of 0.89 and 0.93 respectively. Alpha Cronbach of the scale in the current study
was 0.87.

Optimism Scale. Optimism was assessed by using the Scheier and Carver’s (1994) Life Orientation Test (LOT).
In examining the reliability of the test, Smith et al. (1989) obtained test-retest reliability of 0.79 and alpha Cronbach
of 0.76. Hassanshahi (2002) validated the test in Persian and reported alpha cronbach of 0.74 and 0.65 for test-retest
reliability. In this study, internal consistency of optimism scale was 0.60 using alpha cronbach.

Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-Being (RSPWB). RSPWB used to assess the psychological well-being of the
participants. Van Dierendonck (2005) reported internal consistency coefficients of the subscales from 0.52 to 0.90. It
has been translated and validated into Farsi by Shokri et al (2008). In the current paper, the following internal
consistency coefficients of the subscales and total psychological well-being were obtained (Table 1).

Table 1. Alpha cronbach coefficients of the subscales and total psychological well-being

Psychological well-being Autonomy personal growth purpose in life Positive relations Environmental mastery Self-acceptance
with others
0.91 0.68 0.69 0.72 0.77 0.66 0.72

3. Results

Descriptive indices were calculated and Pearson correlation coefficient was employed to demonstrate the
relationship among the variables. The summary of the results are presented in the Table 2.

Table 2. Mean and standard deviation of resilience, optimism, and psychological well-being, and correlation between them

Variables M SD 1 2 3
1. Resilience 62.11 11.93 - - -
2. Optimism 18.07 3.19 0.38** - -
3. Psychological well-being238.54 34.55 0.52** 0.45** -
**= p<0/01

To predict the psychological well-being through predictor variables of resilience and optimism, hierarchical
regression analysis was used. The summary of the results were reported in Table 3.
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Table 3: Standardized coefficients in hierarchical regression model of psychological well-being through resilience and optimism

Stage Variables B β F(df) R2

1 Resilience 1.5 0.52** 15.06 (1,412)** 0.27
2 Resilience 1.17 0.41** 109.2 (2,411)** 0.35
Optimism 3.25 0.3**
** = p < 0.01

According to Table 3, the first model indicates that the resilience variable alone explain 27 percent of
psychological well-being variance and the second model shows that resilience and optimism together explain and
predict 35 percent of psychological well-being variance.

4. Discussion and Conclusion

The results of the study indicated that resilience is related to psychological well-being. The results are consistent
with the results of Carver, Scheier, and Segerstrom (2010) and also consistent with Miller et al. (1996) as well.

Moreover, the results showed that people’s resilience might be rooted in their cultural and religious values. This
directs people to optimism. In our society that has religious context, religion and faith appear to be the key elements
in optimism. Such people strongly believe that life is meaningful. This belief is often supported by their values.
They have a great capacity to quickly adjust themselves to big changes. This result is consistent with the studies of
Werner and Smith (2001), Masten and Wright (2010), Pargament and Cummings (2010), and Schumann (2002). On
the other hand, there seems to be a causal relationship between resilience and optimism. Optimism and resilience
seems to accompany each other in adverse events. It means that there is an interactive relationship between these
two variables; resilience results in optimism and optimism leads to resilience. These results are consistent with the
studies of Carver, Scheier, and Segerstrom (2010), Tusaie-Mumford (2001), and Bonanno (2005).

The literature supports trait optimism as a factor contributing to resilience, and it has been identified as the most
influential adolescent cognitive factor to moderate the effects of life stressors (Tusaie-Mumford, 2001). Yu and
Zhang (2007) argue that optimism reflects individuals’ positive attitude towards adverse situations and therefore
considers optimism as an important aspect of resilience. In line with this research, the previous studies have
indicated that there appears to be a positive relationship between optimism and well-being (Scheier and Carver,
1985). In short, the results of the current study pointed out a positive relationship between resilience and
psychological well-being and these results are consistent with the results of Besharat et al (2007). The results of the
current paper revealed that resilience plays a key role in psychological well-being and this is consistent with the
results of other studies as well (Tusaie-Mumford, 2001; Yu and Zhang, 2007; Yee Ho, Cheung and Cheung, 2010;
Carver, Scheier, and Segerstrom, 2010; Karademas, 2006).

Research in well-being can lead to discovering and indentifying the ways which could promote the level of
psychological well-being and mental health of members of society. In addition, research about well-being and
its ingredients could enrich the theoretical foundations of the subject. Thus, investigating the relation of
resilience, optimism, and well-being not only increases our understanding from the well-being itself, but also
contributes for promoting the psychological well-being of individuals.

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Souri andand Turaj Hasanirad
Hasanirad / Procedia/ -Procedia - Social
Social and and Behavioral
Behavioral Sciences
Sciences 00 (2011)30 (2011) 1541 – 1544
000–000

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