BPSY:85

GROUP 13: TEST DEVELOPMENT (OPTIMISM)

100 ITEMS

Members:
Almojuela, Elmer
Pagangpang, John
Tiel, Anthony Miguel

Likert Scale (5- Point System)

4- Strongly Agree
3- Agree
2- Neither Agree nor Disagree
1- Disagree
0- Strongly Disagree

PRINCIPLE 1: OPTIMISM IS A BUILT- IN TRAIT OR PERSONALITY DISPOSITION

“Optimism is a life-affirming personality trait. In other words, optimists generally see the world
or events that happen to them in a positive light, and they use positive language. They also
enjoy the little things in life and have a good feeling about the future, both for themselves and
others.”
Medisana (2021). Retrieved from
https://www.medisana.com/healthblog/optimism/#:~:text=In%20other%20words%2C%20optimists%20g
enerally,both%20for%20 themselves%20and%20 others

1. There are a lot more good things than bad things in life.
2. I always choose to be positive, sensitive, and encouraging with my words.
3. I enjoy and appreciate little things.
4. I look forward to my future.
5. I look forward to other’s success in the future.
“According to Seligman, learning optimism can help anyone face the current challenges they
have with a better predisposition. There is 3ps of optimism: The first P is personalization. It is
understanding that not everything that happens to us happens because of us. Many people,
when facing problems, blame themselves. They suffer because they are the cause of their
problems.”

6. I blame myself when I face problems.

7. I often perceive that I am the problem.
8. I believe that everything happens for a reason.

“The second P is pervasiveness. It is the belief that an event will affect all areas of our life.
Sometimes people think that after a serious problem, everything else will be a problem.”

9. A problem doesn’t define any of my capacities in life.

10. A mistake will lead me to more problems.
11. Life problems are inevitable.
12. Problem makes me hopeless.

“The third P is permanence. It is the belief that the negative feelings will last forever. It is the
feeling that we will not be able to overcome the problem. That the bad situation will never end.”

13. It’s hard to recover from any problem.

14. I can overcome any problem.
15. Problems never end.

(Seligman) Learned Optimism: Is Martin Seligman’s Glass Half Full? December 20 2019
From: https://positivepsychology.com/learned-optimism/

“Optimists explain positive events as having happened because of their own actions or
characteristics (internal). They also see them as evidence that more positive things will happen
in the future (stable) and in other areas of their lives (global). Conversely, they see negative
events as not being their fault (external). /” (Scott,2022)

(Elizabeth Scott, P. (2022, November 14). The differences between Optimists and pessimists.
Retrieved April 26, 2023, from
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-optimism-3144811#citation-7)

16. I consider good results as consequences of my positive actions.

17. My failures don’t define me.
18. I understand that I don’t have full control over everything.
19. I can easily find solutions to my problems.
“The word “optimism” comes from the Latin word optimum, meaning “the best.” In psychology,
optimism or dispositional optimism is a set of beliefs and traits that help individuals reflect on
the positive aspects of life rather than the negative ones. It is a personality pattern that displays
resilience and personal strength.”
(Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury, B. (2023, April 07). 11 optimism exercises & theories (incl.. learned
optimism). Retrieved April 26, 2023, from
https://positivepsychology.com/optimism-tools-exercises-examples/#:~:text=The%20word%20%E2%80
%9Coptimism%E2%80%9D%20comes%20from,rather%20than%20the%20negative%20ones. )

20. I always reflect on the good things that happened to me.

21. I am always grateful.
22. I am a strong and resilient person.

“Seligman (1991) stressed the role of the right attitude in building optimism. Positive thinkers
focus more on the process than the results.”
(Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury, B. (2023, April 07). 11 optimism exercises & theories (incl.. learned
optimism). Retrieved April 26, 2023, from
https://positivepsychology.com/optimism-tools-exercises-examples/#:~:text=The%20word%20%E2%80
%9Coptimism%E2%80%9D%20comes%20from,rather%20than%20the%20negative%20ones. )

23. The process is more significant than the result.

24. Good attitude is not necessarily important to one’s life.
25. Positive mindset gives positive results.

PRINCIPLE 2: OPTIMISM IS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED DEPRESSION, ANXIETY,

AND STRESS

“A study released on July 23, 2013 found that optimists have a better biological response to
stress than pessimists. Researchers at Concordia University's Department of Psychology have
found that “the stress hormone” cortisol tends to be more stable in people with a positive
outlook.”

(Bergland):Optimism Stabilizes Cortisol Levels and Lowers Stress July 24, 2013 Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201307/optimism-stabilizes-cortisol-le
vels-and-lowers-stress
 26. I rarely feel stressed.
27. I get so stressed easily.
28. I am an irritable person

“The new study by Dolcos et al shows that optimism may ultimately protect someone from
anxiety by stimulating changes in the orbitofrontal cortex. It appears that someone can create
an upward spiral by altering the gray matter volume of the OFC.”

(Bergland):Optimism and Anxiety Change the Structure of Your Brain September 23, 2015
Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201509/optimism-and-anxiety-change-
the-structure-your-brain

29. I am diagnosed with anxiety.

30. I usually get so anxious at tough times.
31. I always get nervous at stressful events.

“Individuals experiencing high levels of depressive symptoms showed a reduced optimism bias
when estimating the probability of experiencing a life event. Participants with high levels of
depression were less likely to predict experiencing a positive event and more likely to predict
experiencing a negative event’
Hobbs, C., Vozarova, P., Sabharwal, A., Shah, P., & Button, K. (2022). Is depression associated with
reduced optimistic belief updating? Royal Society Open Science, 9(2). doi:10.1098/rsos.190814

32. I may be experiencing depressive symptoms.

33. Life is so beautiful and hopeful.
34. Negative thoughts don’t bother me greatly.

PRINCIPLE 3: OPTIMISTIC INDIVIDUALS ARE OVERALL HEALTHY BOTH PHYSICALLY AND

EMOTIONALLY.

“Dispositional optimism refers to the generalized and stable expectation that future outcomes
will be positive in nature. Ways of assessing dispositional optimism are discussed, and
research relating dispositional optimism to physical health is presented. It highlights the
beneficial associations that have been found between optimism and both short-term and
long-term health outcomes.”

(Mens et al (2020, September 2). Optimism and Physical Health.

 Retrieved from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119057840.ch88

35. I am healthy
36. I am conscious in my physical fitness
35. I love exercising
37. Eating healthy food is beneficial.
38. I have a healthy sleeping schedule.
39. I love engaging in healthy lifestyle

“Optimistic and hopeful individuals adapt better to adversity, have lower chances of developing
mental disorders, and exhibit behaviors that are healthier and related to greater satisfaction
with life. Given these benefits, understanding how hope and optimism arise and flourish is of
great interest, and will help develop promoters of mental health.”

Laranjeira C, Querido A. Hope and Optimism as an Opportunity to Improve the "Positive Mental Health"
Demand. Front Psychol. 2022 Feb 24
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8907849/#B29

40. I always think of positive outcomes.

41. I engage in a healthier life.
42. I learn to adapt in bad situations.
43. When a stressful situation comes I handle it positively.
44. I am mentally stable.
45. If the outcome is bad I know I can recover from it.

“Optimism was broadly associated with fewer mental and physical health conditions in the
general population. It adds to a growing body of evidence that optimism plays an important role
in health and supports the notion that optimism is a promising target for intervention to
enhance behavioral or health benefits.”

Schou-Bredal, I., Bonsaksen, A., Heir, T., Skogstad, L., Lerdal, A., Grimholt, T., Ekeberg, Ø. (2019).
Optimists report fewer physical and mental health conditions than pessimists in the general Norwegian
population. Health Psychology Report, 7(1), 9-18. From https://doi.org/10.5114/hpr.2019.81003

46. I care for myself a lot.

47. I enhance my capability handling sickness
48. When there's an ill person i show support to them
49. Being positive gives you health benefits
50. I believe that health is wealth
 PRINCIPLE 4: OPTIMISM CALLS FOR INCREASED RESILIENCE AND COPING STRATEGIES.

“Optimism significantly predicted resilience levels among university students. That means that
students who have good expectations about their future will face adversity in a more adaptive
way. Besides, optimistic undergraduates will also show a better adaptation to the new stressors
they will encounter during this transition stage, such as financial burden and academic
demands.’’

Molinero R et al. Optimism And Resilience Among University Students pp. 147-154, 2018 from
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/3498/349855553017/html/

51. I can withstand problems in a positive way.

52. When there are new stressors I take it seriously.
53. I can be stressed easily
54. Difficulties bring moral lessons that can improve the self.
55. I hate unfamiliar territories.
56. Problems can easily affect me.
57. I am afraid to step outside my comfort zone.

“A clear set of adaptive coping skills, including how to think optimistically and how to approach
problems and adverse events, has been shown to help workers deal with psychological
distress. Strategies promoting optimism, resilience, and approach coping styles can decrease
the mental health burden of the pandemic”

Smida M, Khoodoruth MAS, Al-Nuaimi SK, Al-Salihy Z, Ghaffar A, Khoodoruth WNC, Mohammed
MFH, Ouanes S. Coping strategies, optimism, and resilience factors associated with mental health
outcomes among medical residents exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 in Qatar. Brain Behav. 2021
Aug;11 from
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34342152/

58. I use coping strategies when there is a problem.

59. I avoid problematic events.
60. I am a strategic person.
61. I learn from my mistakes.
62. In a pandemic I stay calm and collected.
63. I see stress as a negative thing
64. I see problems positively.
Question 3 and 4: