Dispositional optimism as a predictor of depressive symptoms over time

Although dispositional optimism has often been negatively associated with d epressive symptoms, some researchers have found that its predictive power i s eliminated after controlling for broader constructs such as neuroticism. However, the majority of such research has relied on cross-sectional data a nd has not included measures of self-reported stress (i.e. daily hassles). This study of 190 college students investigated the ability of a revised me asure of dispositional optimism to predict depressive symptoms over a 10 we ek period. Participants also completed measures of negative and positive af fect, daily hassles, and attributional style. Multiple regression analyses revealed dispositional optimism as a significant predictor of future depres sive symptoms even after the effects of time 1 levels of depressive symptom s, negative affect, positive affect, daily hassles, and a hassles x positiv e affect interaction were controlled. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.