Association of Optimism and Health-Related Behavior with Mental Health in Czech Adolescents

Abstract

Dispositional optimism is a psychological trait associated with both physical and mental health in adults. Less is known about the associations between optimism and health among adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dispositional optimism, health-related behavior and mental health among Czech adolescents. Further on, the effect of gender and age (early vs. late adolescence) on mental health levels was explored. Instruments: short form of the Mental Health Continuum (MHC-SF); Health Behaviours Scale; Life Orientation Test -Revised (LOT-R). Sample: 1376 Czech adolescents aged 11-19 (M = 15.9; SD = 2.3), 56.8% females. Statistical analysis: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis with three sets of predictors. The first set of predictors (age and gender) explained 7.3% of variance in MHC-SF scores; the second set of predictors -LOT-R optimism and pessimism scores -explained another 25% of variance; and the third set of predictors (health-related behaviors) explained additional 16.3% of variance. The final model explained 48.6% of variance in mental health among adolescents. Dimensions of dispositional optimism turned out to be the strongest set of predictors of positive mental health in adolescents, while health behavior components predicted the mental health levels to a lesser extent. Gender and age were also significant predictors of mental health, with boys and younger adolescents scoring higher.

Text-Based Detection of the Risk of Depression

“…For explanation, we need to look at gender differences in general and in our study as well. Most current studies show that women experience more depression than men do (e.g., Munce and Stewart, 2007 ; Klimusová et al, 2016 ) or the level of depression occurrence is the same for both men and women ( Piccinelli and Wilkinson, 2000 ). However, in our study, men showed a higher level of currently experienced depression than women – it is opposite, unexpected trend.…”

“…Gender differences: Due to the fact that there are gender differences in depression ( Murphy et al, 2000 ; Stordal et al, 2003 ; Herring and Paolillo, 2006 ; Johannsen et al, 2015 ; Klimusová et al, 2016 ; Rafi, 2019 ) as well as gender differences in text processing ( Litvinova et al, 2017 ) our analyses are conducted separately for men and women. We expect the results in each of the samples to differ in some features based on the gender of the writer.…”

“…Currently, 300 million people suffer from depression ( WHO, 2017 ). The prevalence of depression in the adult population (i.e., clinical depression and definite depression) has been reported at approximately 5% across cultures ( Molarius and Janson, 2002 ; Probst et al, 2006 ; Munce and Stewart, 2007 ; Romans et al, 2007 ; Karger, 2014 ; Klimusová et al, 2016 ), and approximately 20% in its milder form (partial symptoms, mild depression, and probable depression; Cho et al, 1998 ; Romans et al, 2007 ). The same studies also show that depression is almost twice as prevalent among women compared to men (some studies do not confirm these differences, e.g., Angst et al, 2002 ).…”

“…The same studies also show that depression is almost twice as prevalent among women compared to men (some studies do not confirm these differences, e.g., Angst et al, 2002 ). The adult group most at risk is the middle-aged population ( Murphy et al, 2000 ; Stordal et al, 2003 ; Klimusová et al, 2016 ). Some studies have reported slight differences in prevalence depending on race (e.g., the white population tended to have higher lifetime prevalence than the black population, Somervell et al, 1989 ) or according to residence (e.g., the prevalence of depression was significantly higher among rural than urban populations at 6.1 versus 5.2%; Probst et al, 2006 ).…”

Social and Behavioral Predictors of Adolescents’ Positive Attitude towards Life and Self

“…Many studies, including meta-analytic reviews, showed that optimism is associated with taking proactive steps to protect one’s health and has an impact on physical and psychological well-being, and is a significant predictor of positive physical health outcomes in adults [15,16,17]. In adolescents, optimism is also the stronger predictor of their mental health in comparison with health behaviors [18]. Other studies of youth health show that positive attributes and optimism are positively correlated with physical health and reduce metabolic and cardiometabolic risk in young people [19,20].…”