Pessimism and physical functioning in older women: influence of self-efficacy.
The purpose of the present study was to examine the nature of the relationships among dispositional optimism/pessimism, self-efficacy, and physical function in a cross-sectional sample of older women (N = 249, M age = 69 years). Initial bivariate analyses indicated that both pessimism and self-efficacy, but not optimism, were significantly correlated with objectively measured physical function. Subsequent analyses using covariance modeling with the full-information maximum likelihood estimator indicated that pessimism was no longer correlated with function when controlling for self-efficacy. That is, consistent with a social cognitive perspective, controlling for self-efficacy attenuated the relationship between pessimism and function. Our findings provide support for using a social cognitive perspective to understanding dispositional and modifiable influences on declines in function associated with aging.
Umstattd
M Renée
MR
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
McAuley
Edward
E
Motl
Robert W
RW
Rosengren
Karl S
KS
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D010555:Personality Inventory; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013694:Temperament