Young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at increased risk of developing persistent mental health and behavior problems. While the link between parenting behavior and the development of problem behavior is well understood in this population, there is a need for examination of key parent factors that affect parenting behavior and child problem behavior over time in families of children with developmental delay (DD). Private events such as parents’ feelings about their children and levels of dispositional optimism may impact parenting behavior through a variety of mechanisms, including experiential avoidance and relational schemas. As such, this study proposed to examine relations between parent feelings, optimism, parenting behavior, and child problem behavior for young children with developmental delay in a longitudinal context. Parents’ positive and negative feelings about their young children with developmental delay, dispositional optimism, and child problem behavior were assessed at three timepoints in 132 parent-child dyads. In addition, measures of observed effective parenting behavior during parent-child play interactions were collected at each timepoint. Negative feelings about the child significantly predicted child problem behavior across timepoints, with higher negative feelings predicting higher problem behavior. Positive feelings and optimism did not significantly predict problem behavior in the model including negative feelings, suggesting that correlations between these constructs and reduced problem behavior are primarily explained by reduced negative feelings. Increased negative feelings also significantly predicted a lower rate of praise across timepoints, indicating that parents with high negative feelings about their child with DD engaged in fewer praise statements during parent-child play interactions. These findings suggest that a strong and stable relationship between negative feelings and child problem behavior is present at a very early age for young children with developmental delay and that negative feelings may impact parents’ use of effective and positive parenting strategies. Future research should examine interventions designed to address both parent private events and child problem behavior as well as how these constructs develop both earlier and later in life.

abstract: Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) whose observed personal option-holding patterns are not consistent with theoretical predictions are variously described as overconfident or optimistic. Existing literature demonstrates that the investment and financing decisions of such CEOs differ from those of CEOs who do not exhibit such behavior and interprets the investment and financing decisions by overconfident or optimistic CEOs as inferior. This paper argues that it may be rational to exhibit behavior interpreted as optimistic and that the determinants of a CEO’s perceived optimism are important. Further, this paper shows that CEOs whose apparent optimism results from above average industry-adjusted CEO performance in prior years make investment and financing decisions which are actually similar, and sometimes superior to, those of unbiased CEOs. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2016

Orientador: Elisabete Salay / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T20:06:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Santos_GeinaFariados_M.pdf: 1420407 bytes, checksum: c7bc4a5d343bffba57b29723d46e2e44 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O açaí faz parte do hábito alimentar especialmente da população amazônica. E, seu consumo tem aumentado em outras regiões do Brasil e do exterior nos últimos anos, devido às suas propriedades nutricionais e funcionais. Em paralelo, ocorrências apontaram o açaí como veículo de transmissão oral da Doença de Chagas Aguda (DCA). Assim, objetivou-se analisar a percepção de consumidores adultos do município de Coari sobre os riscos e benefícios à saúde provenientes do consumo de açaí. Entre os objetivos específicos desta pesquisa, destacam-se a identificação do nível de afeto e do viés otimista relacionados ao açaí, além da verificação da relação entre percepções de risco, benefício, nível de afeto e viés otimista com características socioeconômicas e demográficas. Informações sobre locais de compra, formas e frequência de consumo do açaí também foram avaliadas. Elaborou-se um instrumento de coleta de dados contendo perguntas relacionadas ao consumo de açaí, afeto e a caracterização dos indivíduos. Ainda, investigou-se as percepções de risco, de benefício e do conhecimento sobre risco e benefício relacionado ao consumo de açaí, abordando os conceitos: pessoal, amazonas e conhecidos. Estes conceitos foram investigados com a finalidade de verificar a avaliação do entrevistado para si próprio (pessoal), sobre as pessoas residentes no estado do Amazonas com idade e gênero semelhante (amazonas), e sobre as pessoas conhecidas (conhecidos). Para a classificação das percepções foram elaborados itens que deveriam ser analisados pelo consumidor com uma escala de 7 pontos (1= muito baixo a 7 = muito alto). Para a avaliação do afeto, foram formuladas três questões de associações de palavras. A classificação das questões de afeto foi feita através de uma escala de 5 pontos (1 = muito negativa a 5 = muito positiva). Após pré-teste e revisão do questionário, realizou-se a coleta de dados no mês de maio de 2011, onde participaram do estudo 250 indivíduos adultos, de ambos os gêneros. Foram feitas entrevistas pessoais com os indivíduos em locais de alta concentração populacional, isto é, na Feira Municipal Belarmindo Gomes de Albuquerque e nas áreas próximas à lanchonete (local de recreação) da Universidade Federal do Amazonas do município de Coari. Os dados foram digitados formando um banco de dados, no Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), versão 17.0. O software XLSTAT 2011 foi utilizado nas análises dos dados. Foram realizadas análises exploratórias de dados. O coeficiente de correlação de Spearman foi utilizado para avaliar as relações entre o afeto e percepções de risco e benefício. As comparações entre as percepções foram realizadas através do teste de Friedman. Para determinação do número de clusters, foi utilizada a análise de cluster aglomerativa hierárquica (método de Ward¿s) e para a configuração dos clusters, utilizou-se o método K-means. Histogramas e o teste de normalidade de Shapiro-Wilk foram utilizados para a verificação da normalidade dos dados. A pesquisa foi submetida e aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas ¿ UNICAMP. A maioria dos consumidores possuía pelo menos, o ensino superior incompleto, recebia até 2 salários mínimos e tinha até 4 pessoas na residência. A média de idade dos sujeitos foi de aproximadamente 30 anos. Observou-se que grande proporção dos indivíduos (41,6%) consumia açaí de 2 a 4 vezes por semana. Os resultados demonstram a presença do viés otimista, onde os indivíduos tendem a subestimar os riscos e superestimar os benefícios. O risco percebido foi significativamente superior (Friedman; p < 0,001) para o conceito amazonas quando comparou-se ao conceito pessoal ou de conhecidos. A percepção do benefício foi significativamente maior (Friedman; p = 0,001) para o conceito pessoal comparando-se ao de conhecidos. A percepção do conhecimento do risco e do benefício foram significativamente superiores (Friedman; p < 0,001) para o conceito pessoal em relação ao dos conhecidos e ao conceito do amazonas. A análise de Cluster identificou o grupo 1 que apresentou baixa classificação para o benefício e risco intermediário. O grupo 2 apresentou alta classificação para risco e benefício, e o grupo 3 apresentou alta classificação para o benefício e baixa para o risco. O valor médio de afeto foi positivo (4,1 ± 0,6). Na correlação entre afeto e percepções de risco e de benefício, o resultado indicou correlação significativa e positiva apenas para o afeto em relação à percepção do benefício (coeficiente de correlação de Spearman 0,207). Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que julgamentos de viés otimista referentes aos riscos e benefícios do consumo de açaí são predominantes entre os consumidores avaliados na cidade de Coari. A confirmação do viés otimista durante a avaliação de riscos relacionados à saúde pessoal é considerada comum. Identificou-se também que os consumidores analisados possuem afeto positivo em relação ao açaí. Quando os sentimentos medidos em relação ao objeto de risco são positivos, tende-se a subestimar o risco e superestimar o benefício. Nesse sentido, medidas de prevenção deverão ser tomadas com o intuito de informar sobre os possíveis riscos, em especial a DCA, e também sobre os benefícios à saúde relacionados ao açaí. Os resultados deste estudo poderão amparar ações governamentais direcionadas aos consumidores e às indústrias processadoras de açaí / Abstract: Acai is part of the eating habits of the Amazonian population, and its consumption has increased in other regions of Brazil and abroad in recent years due to its nutritional and functional properties. In parallel, occurrences have pointed to acai as a vehicle for oral transmission of Acute Chagas? Disease (ACD). Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze the perception of adult consumers in the municipality of Coari concerning the health risks and benefits from the consumption of acai. Among the specific objectives of this research, we highlight the identification of the level of affect and optimistic bias related to acai, besides the verification of the relationship between perceptions of risk, benefit, level of affect, and optimistic bias in terms of sociodemographic characteristics. Information on local shopping, forms and frequency of acai consumption will also be assessed. We developed a data collection instrument containing questions related to the consumption of acai, affect, and characterization of the individuals. In addition, we investigated the perceptions of risk, benefit and knowledge about risk and benefit related to the consumption of acai, addressing the concepts: personal, Amazonian and acquaintances. These concepts were investigated to evaluate the perceptions held by: the respondents themselves (personal); the people living in the state of Amazonas with similar age and sex (Amazonians); and the people that the consumers know (acquaintances). For the classification of perceptions, question items were prepared that could be analyzed by the consumer on a 7-point scale (1 = very low to 7 = very high). For the assessment of affect, three word association questions were formulated. The classification of the questions about affect was performed using a 5-point scale (1 = very negative to 5 = very positive). Acai is part of the eating habits of the Amazonian population, and its consumption has increased in other regions of Brazil and abroad in recent years due to its nutritional and functional properties. In parallel, occurrences have pointed to acai as a vehicle for oral transmission of Acute Chagas? Disease (ACD). Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze the perception of adult consumers in the municipality of Coari concerning the health risks and benefits from the consumption of acai. Among the specific objectives of this research, we highlight the identification of the level of affect and optimistic bias related to acai, besides the verification of the relationship between perceptions of risk, benefit, level of affect, and optimistic bias in terms of sociodemographic characteristics. Information on local shopping, forms and frequency of acai consumption will also be assessed. We developed a data collection instrument containing questions related to the consumption of acai, affect, and characterization of the individuals. In addition, we investigated the perceptions of risk, benefit and knowledge about risk and benefit related to the consumption of acai, addressing the concepts: personal, Amazonian and acquaintances. These concepts were investigated to evaluate the perceptions held by: the respondents themselves (personal); the people living in the state of Amazonas with similar age and sex (Amazonians); and the people that the consumers know (acquaintances). For the classification of perceptions, question items were prepared that could be analyzed by the consumer on a 7-point scale (1 = very low to 7 = very high). For the assessment of affect, three word association questions were formulated. The classification of the questions about affect was performed using a 5-point scale (1 = very negative to 5 = very positive). acquaintances. Cluster analysis identified Group 1 that had a low rating for benefit and an intermediate rating for risk. Group 2 had a high rating for risk and for benefit. Group 3 had a low rating for risk and a high rating for benefit. The mean value of affect was positive (4.1 ± 0.6). In the correlation between affect and perceptions of risk and benefit, the results indicated significant positive correlation only for affect in relation to the perceived benefit (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.207). The results of this study suggest that judgments of optimistic bias regarding the risks and benefits of consuming acai are prevalent among the consumers that were assessed in the city of Coari. The confirmation of the optimistic bias during the evaluation of risks related to personal health is considered common. It was also demonstrated that the analyzed consumers have a positive affect in relation to acai. When the measured feelings toward the object of risk are positive, there is a tendency to underestimate the risk and overestimate the benefit. Preventive measures should be taken in informing consumers of the possible risks, particularly about ACD, and also about the health benefits related to acai / Mestrado / Consumo e Qualidade de Alimentos / Mestre em Alimentos e Nutrição

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between activism and well-being and the underlying mechanisms that make up this relationship. The study's hypothesis was that there is a relationship between activism and well-being and that this relationship is either moderated or mediated by optimism and locus of control. It means that we expected that locus of control and optimism would at least partly explain the association between activism and well-being. Data was collected using an online-survey and recruiting participants through social media. The survey included questionnaires that measured locus of control, optimism, activism, depression and anxiety, satisfaction with life and meaning in life. A total of 259 participants was included in the final sample. Correlation analyses were conducted and showed that there was a negative significant correlation between activism and locus of control/optimism. There was a positive correlation between locus of control/optimism and well-being. The correlation between activism and anxiety was positive and the correlation between activism and meaning in life was positive. No support for the moderation hypotheses was found. However, three mediation analysis were conducted and the results showed a significant mediation effect of optimism and locus of control on the relationship between activism and different dimensions of well-being. The results of mediation analysis indicated that activists experience less control and are less optimistic and in turn experience poorer well-being. It is concluded that optimism and locus of control could be underlying factors that explain the underlying mechanism behind the relationship between activism and well-being, but this relationship is complicated and future studies are needed in order to gain better understanding of possible underlying factors.

Through using a Positive Youth Development framework and culturally based education program, Konaway Nikka Tillicum Native American Youth Academy aspires to mentor and prepare Native youth through high school and on to higher education. This collaborative research partnership investigated cultural identity, self-esteem, and academic optimism of Native American youth attending the academy. The results of this program evaluation found that cultural identity, self-esteem, and academic optimism were all closely related to each other as well as that they increased significantly when measured before and after the academy. GPA was found to not be predictive of cultural identity, self-esteem, or academic optimism prior to students attending the academy. Lastly, the relationship between cultural identity and academic optimism appeared to be explained through the indirect effect of self-esteem. The results suggest that culturally based education and positive youth development programs such as Konaway are efficacious in increasing protective factors among Native American youth.

Research tells us that there is an effect of prayer on well-being. However, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie this relationship. In addition, much of the available data concerning prayer and well-being is based on Christians living in the United States, and our knowledge of how prayer and well-being are functionally interconnected in other faith groups, including Muslims, is sparse. The primary aim of this study was to understand how prayer impacts well-being in individuals of the Muslim faith. Specifically, four potential mediators of the relationship between prayer and well-being were examined; optimism, spirituality, mindfulness, and social support. These mediators were selected based on previous empirical work demonstrating the role these factors have in both religious practices and mental health. Optimism, spirituality, and social support are important mechanisms in the relationship between prayer and well-being in Christian samples, while mindfulness underlies the beneficial effects of contemplative practices on well-being in studies focused on Buddhist practices. In this study it is proposed that as a contemplative practice of the Abrahamic faith, Muslim prayer (salah) relates to well-being through the mediatory roles of optimism, spirituality, social support, and mindfulness. Participants (N=155) were recruited from local mosques, Muslim Student Associations of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, local halal restaurants, and MuslimLink (an Ottawa-based Muslim newsletter). SurveyMonkey was used to gather information on participants’ prayer habits, and level of trait mindfulness, spirituality, optimism, social support, and subjective well-being. The data were analysed using a parallel multiple mediator model via the Monte Carlo confidence interval to test for the indirect effect of the mediator variables. Optimism and spirituality were both found to be mediators of the relationship between frequency of prayer and subjective well-being. While mindfulness correlated with both frequency of prayer and well-being, it did not mediate the relationship between the two. Social support correlated with frequency of prayer and not well-being and was not a mediator between the two variables. Psychological interventions that incorporate faith-based practices have been found to have greater effectiveness for religious patients. Understanding prayer and how it relates to well-being is important to implementing intervention and prevention strategies that are culturally informed thus better serving the Muslim population needs.

Intrinsic Spirituality has been linked to lower rates of depression and anxiety and higher positive mental functioning (Pargament, Exline & Jones, 2013). This may be due in part to beliefs which foster values that are important to positive outlook, such as faith, forgiveness, humility, love and community. It is also possible for strongly religious individuals to have maladaptive beliefs that may be problematic for their happiness and adjustment. Understanding how beliefs influence mental health can be helpful to therapists; particularly to those who deal with religious clients who are heavily influenced by their spiritual beliefs. This study looks at the important religious concepts of grace and legalism to identify how they interact with intrinsic spirituality to influence five different positive psychology measures: gratitude, self-esteem, meaning in life, satisfaction with life and optimism. Roughly 560 students from a religious university participated in a self-report survey looking at various spirituality and mental health measurements. Structural Equation Modeling was used to determine if experiencing grace or legalistic beliefs mediated the relationship between spirituality and each of five “life outlook” measures. Moderator analysis was used to identify any interaction effects of grace and legalism on the life outlook variables. Intrinsic spirituality was predictive of belief in grace and negatively predictive of belief in legalism. Belief in grace was also predictive of all five positive mental health measures, and legalism was negatively predictive of gratitude. Interestingly, grace-legalism interaction effects were found for self-esteem, gratitude and satisfaction. Gender differences were significant. Implications for therapy and directions for future research are discussed.

Background: Transitioning to college life in young adulthood can represent a challenging developmental period and college students are at heightened risk for engaging in suicidality. Aims: We aimed to investigate the roles dispositional optimism and coping strategies play in suicide risk (viz., suicidality) and suicide protection (viz., reasons for living) in college students. Method: A sample of 252 American college students were surveyed using anonymous questionnaires and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data. Results: Coping strategies, as a set, played an important role in both suicidality and reasons for living, after controlling for demographic factors (age and sex). When dispositional optimism was entered into the model, it was found to account for a significant amount of additional unique variance in both suicidality and reasons for living, even after accounting for coping. Limitations: It is unknown whether optimism remains meaningful in its association with suicide risk and protection beyond coping in other populations. Conclusion: Effective coping and optimism are associated with decreased suicide risk and increased suicide protection. Our findings point to the consistent role of dispositional optimism, over coping, in both suicide risk and protection.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Many advanced cancer patients receive intensive treatment near the end of life (EOL). Intensive treatment near the EOL is often associated with worse outcomes, such as worse quality of life (QOL), greater distress in patients and caregivers, and higher health care costs. For cancers typically unresponsive to chemotherapy such as lung and gastro-intestinal (GI), the side effects of intensive treatment are endured without increasing survival time. To date, research on EOL care in advanced cancer patients has focused on patient prognostic understanding, physician communication, and patient distress. These factors do not fully explain why many patients receive intensive treatment near the EOL when there is no hope for cure. Hence, there is a need to better understand the factors that influence EOL treatment in order to improve patient and caregiver outcomes. Self-Regulation Theory (SRT) provides a framework that may help explain motivations and care decisions in this population. This study had two aims: 1) to examine the associations between EOL clinical encounters (i.e., EOL conversations with a physician) and treatment intensity in advanced cancer patients near the EOL; and 2) to examine the associations between important SRT constructs (i.e., goal flexibility, hope, and optimism) and treatment intensity in advanced cancer patients near the EOL. A sample of 76 advanced lung and GI cancer patients was recruited from Indiana University Simon Cancer Center. Hope predicted receiving chemotherapy closer to death (β = -.41, t (66) = -2.31, p = .025), indicating more intensive treatment near EOL. Other predictor variables were not significantly associated with intensive treatment. Implications and methodological limitations are discussed.

Previous research has suggested that misinterpretations of hurricane track forecasts can lead to errors in estimation of perceived risk. One factor that can be used to understand these errors in judgment of risk perception is called optimistic bias, in which an individual perceives that compared to another person they are at less risk. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine how risk perceptions of hurricane track forecasts are influenced by the optimistic bias and changes in the forecasts. Students from three coastal universities took a survey regarding hurricane risk from two different track scenarios of a hypothetical hurricane approaching their university. Results indicated that optimism and perceptions of hurricane tracks were not correlated. Regardless of changes in forecast tracks, students perceived the same level of risk by the final forecast. This research has important social implications because hurricane track forecasts are part of the hurricane decision-making process.