6533b7d4fe1ef96bd1261d94

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Self-esteem, dispositional optimism, and health: Evidence from cross-lagged data on employees

Anne MäkikangasTaru FeldtUlla Kinnunen

subject

Social Psychologymedia_common.quotation_subjectSelf-esteemStructural equation modelingConfirmatory factor analysisMental distressDistressOptimismPersonalityPsychological resiliencePsychologyGeneral PsychologyClinical psychologymedia_common

description

Abstract The aims of this one-year follow-up study among Finnish employees ( n =426) were twofold: first, to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and optimism and, second, to examine the prospective relationships between these two personality constructs, mental distress and physical symptoms. The results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) showed that the latent variables of optimism and self-esteem were highly interrelated (Time 1, r =.90, Time 2, r =.87), forming the core construct of personal resilience, which turned out to be stable (stability coefficient .86) over the one-year period. The results of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) indicated that high personal resilience measured at Time 1 reduced mental distress at Time 2. Furthermore, a high level of physical symptoms at Time 1 seemed to predict a high level of mental distress at Time 2.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2004-12-01Journal of Research in Personality
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2004.02.001