Reflections on genes and sustainable change: toward a trait and state conceptualization of response shift.
OBJECTIVE
This article discusses recent advances in research on adaptation, positive psychology, and genetics, and how these advances apply to response shift in health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) research.


METHODS
As these advances shed new light on the extent to which HRQOL is changeable or fixed, we explored the extent to which a trait and state distinction is informative for response shift research.


RESULTS
Direct and moderated response shift effects are discussed in terms of the trait and state distinction to enable hypothesis generation for future research.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for study design and data-analytic methods, as well as clinical practice are discussed.
Schwartz
Carolyn Emily
CE
DeltaQuest Foundation, Inc., 31 Mitchell Road, Concord, MA, USA. carolyn.schwartz@deltaquest.org
Sprangers
Mirjam A G
MA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results