An Inventory of Positive Psychological Attitudes with Potential Relevance to Health Outcomes: Validation and Preliminary Testing

Authors
Jared D. Kass, Ph.D., Richard Friedman, Ph.D., Jane Leserman, Ph.D., Margaret Caudill, M.D., Ph.D., Patricia C. Zuttermeister, M.A., Herbert Benson, M.D.
Publication
Behavioral Medicine
Volume 17, 1991, Issue 3
Abstract

This article describes the validation of an Inventory of Positive Psychological Attitudes that has potential relevance to health outcomes and its preliminary testing with chronic pain patients. The inventory taps two attitudinal domains: (1) life purpose and satisfaction and (2) self-confidence during potentially stressful situations. It also provides a total score. The inventory scales, developed using factor analysis, were found to have a strong degree of internal reliability and concurrent validity. Preliminary testing suggested that positive change on these scales correlates with positive changes in the health status of chronic pain patients. Multiple regression analyses suggested that the interactions of these positive psychological attitudes with health status are not fully accounted for by the interactions of negative psychological attitudes with health status.

Related Listings
Decreased Premature Ventricular Contractions Th...
Authors
Herbert Benson, Sidney Alexander, Charles L. Feldman
Journal
The Lancet
·
To determine whether decreased sympathetic-nervous-system activity achieved by the relaxation response could decrease premature ventricular contractions (P.V.C.S), eleven ambulatory patients with proven, stable ischæmic heart-disease and P.V.C.s were investigated. The patients, who were taking no medication for the P.V.C.S, were trained to elicit regularly the relaxation response through a non-cultic psychological technique. The frequency of the P.V.C.s was measured by computer analys […]
Continuous Measurement of O2 Consumption and CO...
Authors
Herbert Benson, M.D., Roger F. Steinert, B.A., Martha M. Greenwood, B.A., Helen M. Klemchuk, B.A., Norman H. Peterson
Journal
Journal of Human Stress / Behavioral Medicine
·
A previous investigation has demonstrated that the practice of a meditational technique elicits a wakeful, hypometabolic state. Measurement of O2 consumption and CO2 elimination was made by sampling techniques; mean values of these parameters were calculated from 6–10 minute samples. The present study extends this investigation, using a recently developed method of continuous measurement of O2 consumption and CO2 elimination. Continuous measurement of these parameters permitted the de […]
The Evaluation of a Mind/Body Intervention to R...
Authors
Gloria R. Decko, MD, Keli M. Ballinger, MS, Michael Hoyt, MA, CHES, Marilyn Wilcher, Jefrey Dusek, PhD, Patricia Myers, Beth Greenberg, MA, David S. Rosenthal, MD, Herbert Benson, MD
Journal
Journal of American College Health
The authors examined the effect of a 6-week mind/body intervention on college students' psychological distress, anxiety, and perception of stress. One hundred twenty-eight students were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 63) or a waitlist control group (n = 65). The experimental group received 6 90-minute group-training sessions in the relaxation response and cognitive behavioral skills. The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the […]