Personality and quality of life: The importance of optimism and goal adjustment

Jun 14, 2003Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation

How Optimism and Changing Goals Relate to Personality and Quality of Life

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Abstract

Personality traits may influence quality of life through individual coping strategies.

Different conceptualizations of personality and quality of life are examined.
Personality may affect how individuals approach and react to critical life situations.
Dispositional optimism is associated with enhanced subjective well-being and health.
Coping behaviors may mediate the relationship between optimism and quality of life.
Abilities to adjust to unattainable goals are linked to a better quality of life.

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This article concerns the relations between personality and quality of life. In the first part, we discuss different conceptualizations of personality and quality of life. We argue that personality affects quality of life by influencing how people approach and react to critical life situations. In the second part, we address the beneficial role played by two individual difference variables in promoting quality of life: dispositional optimism and goal adjustment. Literature is reviewed demonstrating that dispositional optimism facilitates subjective well-being and good health, mediated by a person's coping behaviors. In addition, we discuss studies that examine people who confront unattainable goals. The reported evidence supports the conclusion that individual differences in people's abilities to adjust to unattainable goals are associated with a good quality of life.

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Personality and quality of life: The importance of optimism and goal adjustment

Abstract

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