[Relationship between dispositional optimism/pessimism and stress coping strategies].
Recent studies confirm that dispositional pessimism is related with a worse state of physical health, in comparison with dispositional optimism . The efficacy of stress coping strategies has been considered as a mediating mechanism in this relationship. The aim of the present study is to analyze in a sample of university students (n = 200) the association between dispositional optimism/pessimism and different categories of self-reported somatic symptoms , and evaluate the possible mediation of the stress coping strategies in this relationship. The results indicate that: 1) pessimism is positively related with the report of physical symptoms, whereas optimism is negatively associated to somatic complaints; and 2) this relationship can be mainly explained by the differential utilization of the coping strategy denominated self-criticism (characteristic of pessimism).
Martínez-Correa
Alfonso
A
Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Jaén, Spain. almarcor@ujaen.es
Reyes del Paso
Gustavo A
GA
García-León
Ana
A
González-Jareño
María Isabel
MI
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012718:Set, Psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires