Optimism in Early Adolescence: Relations to Individual Characteristics and Ecological Assets in Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods

Abstract

Optimism is associated with a number of positive health and life course outcomes among adults, yet less is known about the role of optimism during the formative early adolescent years. Using a strengths-based relational developmental systems model, this study explored the relation of dispositional optimism to individual-level characteristics and ecological assets in families, schools, and neighborhoods in a sample of early adolescents. Specifically, early adolescents' optimism, personal characteristics (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, self-concept, positive behavior), and ecological assets (i.e., perceived parent support, parent knowledge, dinner with an adult family member, school adult support, school connectedness, neighborhood adult support, neighborhood safe places) were assessed in 1,250 4th to 7th graders from 23 public elementary schools in seven urban school districts. Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses suggested that positive self-concept, low depressive symptoms, and high perceived parental support and school connectedness were most strongly associated with adolescents' optimism. The importance of examining individual characteristics in conjunction with the relational features of early adolescents' environments when understanding optimism is discussed.

Developmental antecedents of adolescent optimism in rural midwestern U.S. Latinx youth

“…Our findings provide additional support for a small body of research that is beginning to link youth assets and strengths to the development of youth optimism. Similar to other researchers who have found that peer belonging, positive self‐concept, and school connectedness contribute to adolescents' optimism (Oberle et al, ; Thomson et al, ), we found evidence that school attachment and resilience contribute to optimism in a sample of Latinx youth in early adolescence. However, it should be noted that while resilience demonstrated strong concurrent associations with optimism (including with the addition of all variables), resilience did not demonstrate significant effects on optimism across a time when controlling for prior levels of optimism.…”

“…Optimism is associated with numerous positive outcomes in adulthood; however much less is known about the role and development of optimism during the formative early adolescent years (Thomson et al, ). Using the integrative framework for immigrant youth adaptation (Motti‐Stefanidi & Masten, ), we assessed how salient developmental tasks relevant to Latinx youth (resilience, ethnic pride, and school attachment) concurrently and longitudinally contributed to youth optimism.…”

“…For example, Oberle et al () found that youths' higher levels of peer belonging in fourth grade was associated with increases in their optimism through seventh grade. Similarly, in a cross‐sectional study, Thomson et al () reported that positive self‐concept, low depressive problems, high perceived parental support, and school connectedness were associated with adolescents' optimism. These initial studies demonstrate that a greater understanding of how youth assets contribute to optimism could be important to understanding the well‐being of youth as they transition into, and move across, the adolescent developmental period.…”

“…Specifically, youth experience less life‐satisfaction and more depressed mood during early to mid‐adolescence (Goldbeck, Schmitz, Besier, Herschbach, & Henrich, ; Natsuaki, Biehl, & Ge, ). Given this, researchers have stressed the importance of assessing qualities such as optimism in adolescence because of beneficial associations with mental health and resilience to stressors (Masten, ; Nes & Segerstrom, ; Thomson et al, ). For instance, several studies have revealed positive associations between adolescent optimism and indicators of well‐being, including positive affect (Ben‐Zur, ), life satisfaction (Daukantaite & Bergman, ; Ho, Cheung, & Cheung, ), and lower distress despite experiencing daily hassles (Lai, ).…”

“…Specifically, research has found that optimism is linked to better subjective well‐being and lower likelihood of depression and anxiety (Brissette, Scheier, & Carver, ), more proactive coping strategies and sense of purpose (Nes & Segerstrom, ; Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, ), better physical health (Rasmussen, Scheier, & Greenhouse, ), and larger social networks and satisfaction in relationships (Brissette et al, ). Although research has largely been conducted with adults, researchers have begun to examine how optimism may confer benefits on youth as well (e.g., Thomson, Schonert‐Reichl, & Oberle, ). Challenges and stressors in adolescence can threaten youths' subjective well‐being; therefore, identifying factors that contribute to the growth of optimism could have important health implications.…”