The benefits of optimism: A meta-analytic review of the life orientation test

In 1985 Scheier and Carver set out to begin to explore the possibility that optimism, construed as a stable personality characteristic, has implications for the manner by which people regulate their actions. They developed a scale to measure optimism, the Life Orientation Test (LOT), that has been used in several studies over the years. In this meta-analysis 56 studies were included adding up to a total number of 98 effect size estimates. Three combined estimates were obtained for measures of coping (+0.27), symptom reporting (-0.23) and negative affect (-0.43). The results from combined estimates of significance were highly significant as well as homogeneous. High fail-safe n's were also found. Combined estimates of effect sizes were, however, heterogeneous in all three estimates. Analyses were therefore repeated using the Ways of Coping Checklist for coping (+0.20) and the Beck Depression Inventory for negative affect (-0.46). The effect size estimate for coping did, however, remain significantly heterogeneous. Although optimism is highly significantly associated with measures of coping, symptom reporting and negative affect, it is concluded that the most reliable association is between optimism and negative affect. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.