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
The preoperative use of the relaxation response...
Authors
A D Domar, J M Noe, H Benson
Journal
Journal of Human Stress
·
The efficacy of the regular elicitation of the relaxation response in reducing surgical anxiety and pain in an ambulatory surgery setting was studied in a population of patients scheduled for the surgical removal of a skin cancer. Forty-nine patients with skin cancer were enrolled in the study immediately after being informed of the ned for surgery; 21 of these patients elicited the relaxation response 20 minutes per day until the day of surgery, 21 read for 20 minutes per day, and 7 […]
The Usefulness of he Relaxation Response in the...
Authors
Herbert Benson, M.D., Helen P Klemchuck, A.B., John R Grapham, M.D.
Journal
Headache, the Journal of Head and Face Pain
·
PHYSIOLOGIC CHANGES consistent with the decreased sympathetic nervous system activity are present during the practice of a relaxation technique, Transcendental Meditation. The changes consist of decreased oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide elimination, respiratory rate and minute ventilation. Arterial blood lactate decreases markedly. Arterial blood pH and base excess decrease slightly. There are no changes in arterial blood pressure, in respiratory quotient, nor in rectal temperature […]
Clinical applications of the relaxation respons...
Authors
Gregg D. Jacobs
Journal
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
·
Several hundred peer-reviewed studies in the past 20 years have shown that the relaxation response and mind–body interventions are clinically effective in the treatment of many health problems that are caused or made worse by stress. Recent studies show that mind–body interventions may improve prognosis in coronary heart disease and can enhance immune functioning. It is hypothesized that mind–body interventions reduce sympathetic nervous system activation and increase parasympathetic […]