Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:20:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Heren Nepomuceno Costa Paixao.pdf: 1049071 bytes, checksum: 0988e3f9d5a198789f36de27bab29760 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-06 / In seeking to understand the factors that influence the welfare of retired, this work was primary analyzed the relationship between social support, optimism and well-being of retired. Therefore, the study was divided into two parts. The first explores the conceptual parameters about the theories that formed the theoretical basis of the research. The second refers to the empirical study itself and examines the possible relationships between variables. The participants selected for the empirical study were retirees who attended a Community Center in the city of Anapolis-GO. They are retired by service time and with complete primary school were invited to respond freely scales about social support, optimism and about their well-being in retirement. After the quantitative data analysis, confirmed the primary hypothesis that subjective welfare of retired is positively associated with social support, however, this relationship is better explained when mediated optimism. Thus, it was possible to verify that optimism is what makes the difference in the well-being of retired. I hope that with this result, a better grasp on the topic "Wellness in retirement", and the opportunity to develop a theoretical and scientific knowledge about this phenomenon. / Na busca pela compreensão dos fatores que influenciam o bem-estar do aposentado, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo primário analisar as relações entre apoio social, otimismo e bem-estar dos aposentados. Para tanto, o estudo foi dividido em duas partes. A primeira explora os parâmetros conceituais acerca das teorias que compuseram a fundamentação teórica da pesquisa. A segunda refere-se ao estudo empírico propriamente dito e versa sobre as possíveis relações entre as variáveis. Os sujeitos selecionados para o estudo empírico foram aposentados que frequentavam um Centro de Convivência na cidade de Anápolis-GO. Os participantes, aposentados por tempo de serviço e com o ensino fundamental completo, foram convidados a responderem livremente escalas acerca do apoio social, do otimismo e sobre seu bem-estar na aposentadoria. Após a análise quantitativa dos dados, confirmou-se a hipótese primária de que o bem-estar do aposentado está associado positivamente com o apoio social, porém, esta relação é bem melhor explicada quando mediada pelo otimismo. Assim, foi possível averiguar que o otimismo é o que faz a diferença no bem-estar do aposentado. Espera-se, com este resultado, apreender melhor sobre o tema "Bem-estar na aposentadoria", além da possibilidade de desenvolver um conhecimento teórico e científico acerca deste fenômeno.

Os estudos desenvolvidos nesta dissertação estão inseridos no campo da Psicologia Positiva, definida como o estudo científico de características positivas. O objetivo geral desta dissertação, composta por um artigo teórico e um empírico, foi adaptar um instrumento de avaliação do otimismo em crianças no formato papel-e-lápis para o formato informatizado. O primeiro artigo se trata de uma revisão de literatura, que teve como objetivo identificar de forma sistemática os instrumentos de avaliação do otimismo na infância. Como resultados, identificou-se 11 instrumentos, incluindo escalas, questionários e entrevista. Dentre esses, quatro escalas possuem estudos de validação para o Brasil e apenas um instrumento encontrado foi construído a partir de uma amostra de crianças brasileiras. Essa lacuna indica que essa área ainda tem muito a se desenvolver no país. O segundo estudo teve como objetivo adaptar o instrumento Tarefas Preditoras de Otimismo em Crianças para uma versão de uso em tablet, nomeada TAPOC-i (Tarefas Preditoras de Otimismo em Crianças informatizada), e buscar evidências de validade desta versão. Participaram 238 crianças, 105 de Teresina - Piauí e 133 de Porto Alegre – Rio Grande do Sul (RS) (57,9% meninas), de quatro a 10 anos de idade. A dimensionalidade do instrumento foi mantida na versão informatizada. A TAPOC-i apresentou propriedades psicométricas adequadas, o que fornece indicadores de validade do instrumento. O uso de um aplicativo nesta pesquisa possibilitou uma diminuição no tempo de aplicação do instrumento, além de ter se mostrado uma ferramenta lúdica e atrativa na avaliação de crianças. / The studies developed in this dissertation are inserted in the field of Positive Psychology, defined as the scientific study of positive characteristics. The aim of this dissertation, composed by a theoretical paper and one empirical, it was to adapt an optimism assessment instrument in children in paper-and-pencil format into computerized one. The first study was about a literature review that has aimed to identify in a systematic form the optimism assessment instruments in childhood. As results, 11 instruments were identified, including scales, questionnaires and interviews. Among these, four scales have validation studies for Brazil and only one instrument was found based on a sample of Brazilian children. This gap indicates that this area still has much to develop in the country. The second one aimed to adapt the instrument Optimism Predictor Task in Children (TAPOC) into a version to be used in tablet, the TAPOC-I (Computerized Optimism Predictor Task in Children), and to seek validity evidence of this version. 238 children participated, 105 from Teresina – Piauí and 133 from Porto Alegre – Rio Grande do Sul (RS) (57,9% girls), from four to ten years old. The dimensionality of the instrument and its psychometric characteristics was maintained in the computerized version. TAPOC-i presented TAPOC-i presented adequate psychometric properties, which provide indicators of instrument validity. The use of an application in this research allowed a reduction in the time of the instrument management, besides being a playful and attractive tool in the evaluation of children.

<div>While research links the presence of meaning in life to better psychological well-being, the relationship between the search for meaning and psychological well-being is less clear. The search for meaning is generally thought to be psychologically distressing, but there is evidence that this process is moderated by the presence of meaning in life. Because the search for meaning in life can be considered a goal pursuit, goal-related personality traits may also moderate the relationship between the search for meaning and psychological well-being. The first aim of this</div><div>cross-sectional study was to replicate the moderating effect of the presence of meaning on the relationship between the search for meaning and psychological well-being in a sample of undergraduates (N = 246). The second aim was to examine the potential moderating effects of hope and optimism on these relationships. As an exploratory third aim, this study examined whether there was a unique combination of the presence of meaning, the search for meaning, and hope or optimism that differentially predicted psychological well-being. Results suggest that optimism and the presence of meaning, but not hope, are significant moderators of the relationship between the search for meaning and psychological well-being. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.</div>

Esta tese tem por objetivo analisar de que forma o tom linguístico empregado nos discursos durante as conferências de apresentação de resultados está relacionado ao desempenho (EBITDA) das empresas. Por tom linguístico, a análise leva em consideração tanto a divulgação de informações positivas sobre o desempenho das empresas (tom otimista) quanto a divulgação de informações negativas (tom pessimista) e uma métrica incluindo igualmente o tom otimista e pessimista (tom consolidado). Foram analisadas conferências de resultados ocorridas entre os anos de 2010 e 2014 por companhias abertas no Brasil com ações negociadas na BM&FBovespa. A base de dados é composta por 837 conferências de resultado relativas a 47 empresas e um total de 17.110 atribuições sobre o resultado das empresas, sendo 4.225 classificadas como neutras (não explicitando uma melhora ou uma piora para os resultados da empresa naquele momento), 9.947 atribuições otimistas e 2.938 atribuições pessimistas. A análise descritiva dessas atribuições sobre o resultado das empresas sugere que as apresentações de resultados são quantitativamente mais otimistas do que pessimistas. Com a realização de uma análise multivariada, o EBITDA presente mostrou-se significante em relação ao tom otimista e ao tom consolidado, sugerindo que empresas com melhor desempenho, têm suas conferências do mesmo período mais otimistas. O EBITDA também apresentou significância em relação a um trimestre após a apresentação, na estimação do tom consolidado e dois períodos adiante na estimação do tom pessimista. A interpretação desse resultado sugere que empresas com melhores performances no período seguinte ao das conferências apresentam um tom consolidado maior, ou seja, mais otimista. No segundo caso, a interpretação sugere o inverso: empresas com melhor desempenho dois trimestres após a conferência apresentam menos atribuições pessimistas durante essas apresentações. Os resultados encontrados na tese estão em linha com aqueles encontrados na literatura, em que o tom aparece relacionado com o desempenho presente e algum desempenho futuro. De todo modo, não é possível afirmar que o tom prediz resultados. Sobre esse aspecto, verificou-se alguma significância, mas a natureza dela ainda é desconhecida para se falar em causalidade. / This thesis aims to analyze how the linguistic tone used in speeches during the conference calls is related to the performance of companies. By linguistic tone, the analysis takes into account both the disclosure of positive information about corporate performance (optimistic tone) and the disclosure of negative information (pessimistic tone) and a metric including also the optimistic and pessimistic tone (consolidated tone). Conferences calls between 2010 and 2014 by publicly traded companies in Brazil with shares traded on BM&FBovespa were analyzed. The database consists of 837 conference calls related to 47 companies and a total of 17,110 attributions on the companies\' results, of which 4,225 are classified as neutral (not making an improvement or worsening of the company\'s results at that time), 9,947 optimistic attributions and 2,938 pessimistic attributions. The descriptive analysis of these attributions on the companies\' results suggests that they, during these conference calls are quantitatively more optimistic than pessimistic. With a multivariate analysis, the EBITDA present was significant in relation to the optimistic tone and the consolidated tone, suggesting that companies with better performance, have their conferences of the same period more optimistic. The EBITDA also presented significance in relation to one quarter after the presentation, in the estimation of the consolidated tone and two quarters later in the estimation of the pessimistic tone. The interpretation of this result suggests that companies with better performances in the period following the conference call show a stronger, more optimistic, tone. In the second case, the interpretation suggests the reverse: companies with better performance two quarters after the conference call have less pessimistic attributions during these presentations. The results found in the thesis are in line with those found in the literature, in which the tone appears related to the present performance and some future performance. In any case, it is not possible to say that the tone predicts results. On this aspect, some significance has been verified, but her nature is still unknown to speak of causality.

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar as relações entre as variáveis criatividade, esperança e otimismo e o desempenho profissional. Foram participantes 194 funcionários de seis empresas privadas, que trabalhavam em funções de atendimento ao público, além de seus respectivos supervisores. Utilizaram-se dois questionários, um destinado aos funcionários e outro aos supervisores. No instrumento para os funcionários havia questões sociodemográficas (sexo, idade, escolaridade, tempo na empresa, salário), uma escala para aferir esperança, uma escala para otimismo, uma escala de cinco fatores para criatividade no trabalho, e uma escala para avaliação de sete dimensões do desempenho. No questionário para os supervisores havia a escala para avaliação do desempenho, em que eles deveriam avaliar os seus subordinados. A dimensão da criatividade denominada Pensamento Flexível – principalmente na sua faceta “Soluções e Efeitos” – apresentou relações positivas com o desempenho profissional, tanto na visão dos supervisores quanto na visão dos funcionários. A esperança também se relacionou de modo positivo, porém apenas para o desempenho autoavaliado. A capacidade de ponderar as soluções, suas consequências e opções de implementação, além da habilidade em estabelecer metas e rotas para atingi-las, mostraram-se características preponderantes no desempenho. Os resultados reforçam a importância do estímulo ao potencial criativo dos funcionários para a conquista de resultados esperados. / The aim of this study was to verify the relationships among the variables creativity, hope and optimism and work performance. Were participants 194 employees of six private companies, who worked in the costumer service functions, as well as their respective supervisors. Were used two questionnaires, one for employees and other supervisors. In the instrument for employees there were socio-demographic issues (gender, age, schooling, time in business, salary); a scale for measuring the hope, a scale for optimism, a scale of five factors for creativity at work, and a scale for evaluation of seven dimensions of performance. In the questionnaire for supervisors had to scale to evaluate the performance, they should assess their subordinates. The dimension of creativity called Flexible Thinking – mainly in his facet "solutions and effects" – presented positive relations with the professional performance, both in view of supervisors and employees ' vision. Hope also was related positively, but only for the self-evaluation performance. The ability to consider the consequences, solutions and implementation options, plus the ability to set goals and to achieve them, proved compelling characteristics on performance. The results reinforce the importance of stimulating the creative potential of employees for the achievement of expected results.

This research investigates the moderating effect of cultural differences between countries on the relationship between tenure and analyst accuracy. To investigate this research looks at the expected earnings per shares and the realised earnings per share from the shares included into the AEX, CAC, DAX and FTSE. The dataset consists of 466 analysts and 3.040 observations. The time period observed is 2015, 2016 and 2017. This research shows that there is no significant relationship between tenure and analyst accuracy. The results show that masculinity, individualism and long term orientation have a moderating effect on analyst accuracy. A practical implication is that managers could employ methods to change the work culture to increase analyst accuracy. An academic implication of this research is that culture should be included as a moderating factor in future analyst accuracy research.

Hope, optimism, and several markers of religiosity and spirituality were examined as potential moderators of the association between negative life events and depressive symptoms in a secondary data analysis of an ethnically diverse sample. Participants (267 female, 119 male) were college students enrolled at an urban Northeastern university. It was hypothesized that negative life events would be associated with increased depressive symptoms and that higher levels of hope, optimism, and religious and spiritual variables would attenuate this relationship. Ethnically-stratified moderation analyses were conducted to assess for differences in moderation between Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, and Asians. Hypotheses were generally supported, with some ethnic variation in findings. Although hope and optimism predicted decreased depressive symptoms in Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites, optimism was a significant moderator in Whites only. Measures of religiosity were significant moderators among Blacks as well as Whites. Clinical and research implications are explored based on the extant literature.

Background: We assessed the association between medical illness burden and anxiety symptoms, hypothesizing that greater illness burden would be associated with symptoms of anxiety, and that optimism would buffer, while pessimism would exacerbate, this relationship. Methods: We recruited 109 older adults, aged 65 years and older, from primary care and geriatric clinics to participate in this cross-sectional, interview-based study. Participants completed the Snaith Clinical Anxiety Scale and the Life Orientation Test – Revised, a measure of optimism/pessimism. A physician-rated measure of illness burden, the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale, was also administered. Results: Supporting our hypotheses, greater levels of overall optimism weakened, and pessimism strengthened, the association between illness burden and anxiety symptoms, after accounting for the effects of demographic, cognitive, functional, and psychological covariates. Conclusions: Bolstering positive and reducing negative future expectancies may aid in the prevention of psychological distress in medically ill older adults. Therapeutic strategies to enhance optimism and reduce pessimism, which may be well-suited to primary care and other medical settings, and to which older adults may be particularly amenable, may contribute to reduced health-related anxiety.

A model involving optimism and hope as predictors of depressive symptoms was tested in a sample of 28 male and 67 female primary care patients. Beyond the distinct influence of the two predictors on depressive symptoms, optimism and hope were also hypothesized to interact together to predict depressive symptoms. Results of a regression analysis indicated that, independent of demographic variables (viz. age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, and educational level), optimism and hope were significant and unique predictors of depressive symptoms in adults. Noteworthy, beyond optimism and hope, the Optimism × Hope interaction term was found to significantly augment the prediction of depressive symptoms. Some implications of the present findings are discussed.

Objective: Depression is a significant global public health burden, and older adults may be particularly vulnerable to its effects. Among other risk factors, interpersonal conflicts, such as perceived criticism from family members, can increase risk for depressive symptoms in this population. We examined family criticism as a predictor of depressive symptoms and the potential moderating effect of optimism and pessimism. Methods: One hundred five older adult, primary care patients completed self-report measures of family criticism, optimism and pessimism, and symptoms of depression. We hypothesized that optimism and pessimism would moderate the relationship between family criticism and depressive symptoms. Results: In support of our hypothesis, those with greater optimism and less pessimism reported fewer depressive symptoms associated with family criticism. Conclusion: Therapeutic enhancement of optimism and amelioration of pessimism may buffer against depression in patients experiencing familial criticism.