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Optimists tend to develop better
coping skills and a more supportive social network than those with a darker
outlook, which may shelter them from stress and depression.
The role that our personality
plays in generating responses from others can go a long ways towards our
own mental well-being.
Previous research has shown
that those who have a sunny
outlook about the future tend to have better mental health than those
who are pessimistic. One possible reason, the researchers theorize,
is that optimists are more likely to develop strong ties with others,
which has been shown to be one factor in being better able to handle stress.
Because optimistic people may
be more skilled interpersonally and are better to be around, they may
develop these social networks more easily.
The study found two potential
reasons for the optimists' lower levels of stress: strong friendships
and superior coping skills. For example, optimists were more likely to
report feeling that they had someone who would help them move or loan
them a car. Optimists were developing more supportive networks than people
who were more pessimistic.
Optimists were no more likely
than pessimists to develop an even larger group of friends over time,
but their friendships seemed to be of a deeper quality. There was no greater
increase in the number of friendships, but you could argue they were potentially
stronger.
Optimists also seem to function
better than pessimists because they are more likely to rely on an effective
coping skill called positive reinterpretation and growth, rather than
ineffective coping methods such as denial or disengagement.
Positive reinterpretation is
looking at a bad situation and looking for the silver lining, or interpreting
the setback as a challenge. Optimists cope differently than pessimists.
Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology January 2002;82:102-111
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