Optimism, coping, and psychological health among Hong Kong Chinese adults

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the relations between dispositional optimism, coping, and psychological health among Hong Kong Chinese adults.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-six participants completed questionnaires that assess their demographic information, level of optimism, coping dimension, behavioral coping strategy, psychological health, and life satisfaction.

Results: Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that optimism was a strong independent predictor of mental health and coping strategy of positive reappraisal. Consistent with prior findings with Western samples, optimists (indexed by the Chinese version of the Revised Life Orientation Test) were found to have less psychological distress and higher life satisfaction than non-optimists. Nevertheless, the coping strategies adopted by optimists did not exert an influence on health outcomes.

Discussion: Consistent with previous Western studies, the present findings suggest that being optimistic leads to health benefits. However, the discrepancy between present and prior findings may be indicative of cultural differences between Asian sample groups and Western sample groups. To have a better understanding on mental health, further research should take cultural differences into consideration.