title: Negative and positive beliefs related to mood and health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe whether elderly patients' positive and negative beliefs about efforts improving or maintaining health are related to health and mood.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a brief scale to assess these beliefs. Factor analysis was used to evaluate its dimensions; the extent to which the scale's dimensions mediate the relationship between mood and self-reported health was explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses show that the scale reflects a general factor as well as 2 subscales that evaluate distinct but related positive and negative dimensions. The scale was not related to race, sex, or education, but showed modest relations to age. Scales were significantly related to mood, health status, and health-related quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both negative and positive beliefs mediated the relation between depression and self-reported health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA. ro71@nova.edu.
authors.forename: Raymond L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ownby
authors.affiliation: Center for Psychological Studies, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Amarilis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acevedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Robin J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.affiliation: Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Drenna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Waldrop-Valverde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009341:Negativism; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult