Abstract
Dispositional optimism as a predictor of strategies coping. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between dispositional optimism and coping stretegies. Although dispositional optimism as assessed by the Life Orientation Test-Revised LOT-R) has often been associated with coping strategies, some researchers have found that its predictive power dissapears after controlling the effects of third variables, mainly, neuroticism and negative affectivity. This study used 415 subjects and investigated the ability of a revised measure of dispositional optimism to predict coping strategies. Participants also completed measures of neuroticism and negative affectivity. Analyses revealed that dispositional optimism was a significant pr edictor of coping stretegies even when the effects of neuroticism and negative affectivity were controlled. Overall, the Life Orientation Test-Revised does appear to possess ade quate predictive validity.
