Publication
Title
Long-lasting effects of affective disorders and childhood trauma on dispositional optimism
Author
Abstract
Background: Dispositional optimism, a personality trait characterized by generalized positive expectations towards the future, is thought to remain rather stable over time. It is however largely unknown to what extent affective disorders and its risk factors affect dispositional optimism. Methods: We examined the association between (lifetime) affective disorders and childhood trauma with dispositional optimism in a sample of 2104 subjects (aged 18-65 years) from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Dispositional optimism was measured with the Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R). Diagnoses of depressive and anxiety disorders were based on the Composite Interview diagnostic Instrument (CIDI).Childhood trauma was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Interview (CIF) and life-events with the List of Threatening Events Questionnaire (LTQ). Results: The 2104 participants were on average 46.0 (SD 13.1) years old and 653% were female. Multivariate analyses showed that clispositional optimism was inversely associated with current affective disorders (depression: B=-1.089 and anxiety: B=-1.066, both p<0.001), but also with remitted affective disorders (depression: B=-0.822 and anxiety: B=-0.558, both p<0.001) and severity of depression (B=-4230; p <0.001). A history of childhood emotional maltreatment (B=-0.905, p <0.001) was related to lower optimism, whilst positive life-events were associated with higher levels of optimism (B=-0235, p >0001), Limitations: The cross-sectional design hampers inferences about causality. Conclusion: Lower levels of dispositional optimism are associated with stage of affective disorders, even after remission, and a history of childhood emotional maltreatment. Identification of the risk factors contributes to understand fluctuations in dispositional optimism. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Journal of affective disorders. - Amsterdam
Publication
Amsterdam : 2015
ISSN
0165-0327
DOI
10.1016/J.JAD.2015.01.022
Volume/pages
175 (2015) , p. 351-358
ISI
000350974300046
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 17.11.2016
Last edited 16.02.2023
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