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Being optimistic
may increase physical health and mental functioning, a recent
study showed.
Researchers assessed
health survey results of 447 patients who completed a personality
test in the 60s and a follow-up self-assessment in the 90s.
When the tests were compared, it was found that pessimists
reported poorer physical and mental functioning, as well as
lower quality of life, than optimists. Additionally, out of
eight measured scales (physical functioning, physical role
limitations, bodily pain, general health perception, vitality,
social functioning, emotional role limitations, and mental
health), pessimists scored lower than the national average
on five of them.
The results supplement
a past study that indicated optimists tend to live longer
than pessimists do. However, while these finding suggest that
attitude may play an important role in health, questions remain
about whether this can be applied practically by health care
practitioners.
Mayo
Clinic Proceedings August 2002;77(8):748-53
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