ArticleHealth psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association2018
An examination of dyadic changes in optimism and physical health over time.
Article in Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Household members' positive personality traits and age stereotypes do not predict perceived expectations for active aging.European journal of ageing · 2025Article
- Article
- Partner influences on ICT use variety among middle-aged and older adults: The role of need for cognition.Computers in human behavior · 2022Article
- Having a Good Time Together: The Role of Companionship in Older Couples' Everyday Life.Gerontology · 2022Article
- Optimism, pessimism, and health biomarkers in older couples.British journal of health psychology · 2020Article
- Changes in optimism and pessimism in response to life events: Evidence from three large panel studies.Journal of research in personality · 2020Article
- The association between actor/partner optimism and cognitive functioning among older couples.Journal of personality · 2020Article
- Optimism and Pain Interference in Aging Women.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2020Article
- Actor, partner, and similarity effects of personality on global and experienced well-being.Journal of research in personality · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveHaving a partner high in optimism is associated with better health in older adults. However, partners, just like individuals, are not static entities and likely change considerably over time. The current study examined whether changes in one person's optimism was associated with corresponding changes in his or her partner's health over a 4-year period.
methodWe employed a sample of 2,758 heterosexual couples (5,516 individuals; Mage = 65.81, SD = 9.00), married an average of 36.06 years. Median level of education was at least a high school education (13.0% had less than a high school education; 56.1% had a high school education; 30.9% had at least some college education). Both couple members filled out measures of optimism and health twice over a 4-year period.
resultsHaving a partner high in optimism at baseline was associated with increases in an actor's optimism 4 years later, r = .08, p < .001. Baseline self-rated health and chronic illness of actors and their partners were mostly unrelated to changes in optimism. However, actor (rs > .05) and partner (rs > .03) changes in optimism were associated with changes in self-rated health and chronic illnesses over time. There was also some evidence for an interaction effect (rs > .03), such that the worst outcomes were experienced among couples in which both members decreased in optimism.
conclusionThis is the first study to examine how changes in psychological characteristics are associated with changes in health within and across romantic partners. Possible mechanisms are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
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