Page 249 - Biobehavioral Resilence to Stress

226 Biobehavioral Resilience to Stress

exhibited in less acute circumstances. Thus, whereas fl exible adaptation is a

generally healthy disposition, pragmatic coping represents something more
of a “mixed blessing” (Paulhus, 1998).

Appraisal-Based Flexibility
When considering resilience, it is crucial to recognize that as horrific as many

catastrophic events may be, the events themselves are not inherently trau-
matic. Rather, trauma represents a subjective response to PTEs that is shaped
by one’s view, perception, or interpretation of the event. Depending on the
context, certain personal attributes serve as protective internal resources in
adversity, while others increase vulnerability to psychopathology. Personal-
ity traits and coping styles are a part of a larger set of personal attributes that
include intelligence, genetic predispositions, abilities and disabilities, moti-
vation, and values. In this section, we examine personality traits that con-

tribute to resilience by influencing the ways in which individuals appraise
potentially stressful circumstances.

Optimism

The tendency to hold positive expectancies about the future is described as
dispositional optimism (Scheier, Carver & Bridges, 1994). Optimistic indi-
viduals characteristically attribute negative events to temporary, specifi c,

and external causes. Thus, their appraisals of stressful events tend to be rela-
tively benign. In contrast, pessimistic people tend to believe that diffi cul-
ties in life are permanent and will have a negative impact on all areas of life
(Seligman, 1992). The optimistic explanatory style is associated with greater

motivation and achievement, lower levels of depressive symptoms, and better
physical well-being (for reviews, see Buchanan & Seligman, 1995; Peterson &
Steen, 2002). Moreover, individuals who have positive expectancies are more
likely to employ effective coping strategies and typically report fewer physi-

cal symptoms than their pessimistic counterparts (for reviews, see Scheier &
Carver, 1992, 1993).
Although optimism has not yet been studied specifically with respect to

resilience, studies of dispositional optimism and positive explanatory style
suggest that the tendency toward optimistic appraisal serves as a protective
resource for coping with stress. However, it may also be the case that opti-
mistic people are relatively more vulnerable to stress when it accumulates
or intensifies to a degree that defies their positive expectations. Prospective

studies have found that the benefits of positive expectancies may depend on the
perceived controllability of the acute or the chronic stressor (e.g., Fournier,
de Ridder & Bensing, 2002). Additionally, at least in women, optimistic expec-
tations may change over time in response to role changes that are perceived as

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