ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, OPTIMISM, AND CELLULAR IMMUNITY

描述：乐观或积极的结果预期与 更好的心理和身体健康，包括免疫系统的变化， 系统在中度严重的压力下，乐观者的淋巴细胞 与细胞介导的免疫和自然杀伤细胞的细胞毒性有关。 这项拟议中的研究旨在测试乐观是否有益于 不同类型的应激源和使用以及免疫功能的体内测量。 在一组一年级的法律系学生中，乐观情绪与 细胞介导的免疫力，通过皮肤试验在5个时间点测量： 基线（开学前），中度严重的压力源（学期中期）， 更严重的压力源（期末考试），恢复（第二次开始 第一次的回归，也是第一次的回归。各种时间 点允许在不同水平下测试乐观的适应性 在确认或停止乐观信念之后。 乐观免疫关系的潜在调节者和中介者将 也被调查。首先，社交网络整合可能提供缓冲; 如果没有，乐观可能更重要。第二，在多大程度上 乐观的影响是独立的那些消极的情感将 测试.第三，陈述积极和消极的认知评价过程 可能是乐观情绪影响免疫系统的社会心理调节剂。的 皮质醇释放的量和节律是一种潜在的生理介质。 结果将有可能澄清在何种情况下， 乐观是有益的，区分乐观的影响和消极的影响。 情感，并检查情绪，认知过程和皮质醇在 应激相关免疫变化。鉴于增加乐观情绪的干预措施 正在开发中，了解什么时候 以及为什么乐观会带来更好的心理健康，更少的痛苦， 更好的免疫功能。

DESCRIPTION: Optimism, or positive outcome expectancies, has been associated with better psychological and physical health, including changes in the immune system. Under moderately severe stress, optimists have more lymphocytes associated with cell-mediated immunity and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. The proposed research is intended to test whether optimism is beneficial during different sorts of stressors and using and in vivo measure of immune function. In a group of first year law students, optimism will be related to cell-mediated immunity, as measured by skin test over five time points: baseline (before school starts), a moderately severe stressor (mid-semester), a more sever stressor (final examinations), recovery (beginning of second semester) and feedback (return of first semester grades). The various time points allow for a test of the adaptiveness of optimism under different levels of stress and after confirmation or discontinuation of optimistic beliefs. Potential moderators and mediators of an optimism-immunity relationship will also be investigated. First, social network integration may provide a buffer; in its absence, optimism may be more important. Second, the degree to which optimism effects are independent of those of negative affectivity will be tested. Third, state positive and negative and cognitive appraisal processes may be psychosocial mediators by which optimism affects the immune system. The amount and rhythm of cortisol release is a potential physiological mediator. The results will have the potential to clarify the circumstances under which optimism is beneficial, differentiate optimisms effects from those of negative affectivity, and examine the role of mood, cognitive processes, and cortisol in stressor-related immune change. Given that interventions to increase optimism are being developed, it is becoming increasingly important to understand when and why optimism leads to better psychological health, less distress, and better immune function during stressors.