Optimism is associated with mood, coping, and immune change in response to stress.
This study explored prospectively the effects of dispositional and situational optimism on mood (N = 90) and immune changes (N = 50) among law students in their first semester of study. Optimism was associated with better mood, higher numbers of helper T cells, and higher natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Avoidance coping partially accounted for the relationship between optimism and mood. Among the immune parameters, mood partially accounted for the optimism-helper T cell relationship, and perceived stress partially accounted for the optimism-cytotoxicity relationship. Individual differences in expectancies, appraisal, and mood may be important in understanding psychological and immune responses to stress.
Segerstrom
S C
SC
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. scsege0@pop.uky.edu
Taylor
S E
SE
Kemeny
M E
ME
Fahey
J L
JL
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology*