Become more optimistic by imagining a best possible self: Effects of a two week intervention

Meevissen, Yvo M.C.; Peters, Madelon L.; Alberts, Hugo J. E. M.

doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2011.02.012

Cited by 277 publications

(254 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…more positive) mood ratings and reported more positive affect, compared to participants in the control condition. This finding is in line with previous studies that experimentally induced optimism in healthy participants (Sheldon and Lyubomirsky, 2006;Peters et al, 2010;Meevissen et al, 2011). Moreover, in the current study we extended previous findings by showing that a BPS exercise can have an effect on positive affect and mood in participants that were experimentally set into a sad mood state.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…It has been shown previously that the vividness of positive mental imagery of the future is associated with optimism, suggesting that imagery exercises are a powerful way to increase optimism and thereby mental wellbeing (Blackwell et al, 2013). In line with this, previous experimental studies that used imagery exercises to induce optimism found that imagery of positive future events indeed increased optimism and positive mood ratings (Sheldon and Lyubomirsky, 2006;Peters et al, 2010;Meevissen et al, 2011). Moreover, one previous study has shown that a negative mood induction decreases optimism in women, suggesting that the relation between mood and optimism is bi-directional (Lewis et al, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 54%

“…Previous studies have already shown that the BPS exercise reliably increases optimism (Peters et al, 2010;Meevissen et al, 2011;Hanssen et al, 2013;Peters et al, 2013). To the best of the authors' knowledge the current study is the first to test the effects of the BPS exercise on the reinstatement of positive affect, mood and dysfunctional attitudes following a sad mood induction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…In this study participants were instructed to imagine themselves in the future when everything has turned out in the best possible way. It was shown that the imagery exercise led to increased optimism already after the first session and at the 2 week followup assessment (Meevissen et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, one previous study has shown that a negative mood induction decreases optimism in women, suggesting that the relation between mood and optimism is bi-directional (Lewis et al, 1995). Meevissen et al (2011) investigated the effects of daily practicing a positive future imagery exercise over a period of 2 weeks on participants' mood. In this study participants were instructed to imagine themselves in the future when everything has turned out in the best possible way.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of a best-possible-self mental imagery exercise on mood and dysfunctional attitudes

Renner

Schwarz

Peters

et al. 2014

Psychiatry Research

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a b s t r a c tDispositional optimism has been related to positive physical and mental health outcomes, increased positive mood ratings and cognitions about the future. In order to determine the causal relation between optimism and mood and cognitions optimism should be manipulated experimentally. The current study tested the effects of a best-possible-self mental imagery exercise on affect and mood ratings and dysfunctional cognitions following a sad mood induction in undergraduate students (N ¼40). Participants in the experimental condition wrote about their best possible self in the future for 15 min and engaged in a mental imagery task about their best possible self in the future for 5 min in order to experimentally induce optimism. Participants in the control condition wrote about a typical day for 15 min and engaged in mental imagery about a typical day for 5 min. We assessed affect, mood and dysfunctional cognitions before and after the experimental manipulation. Participants in the experimental condition had higher positive mood ratings and higher positive affect compared to participants in the control condition. Participants in the control condition reported decreased dysfunctional cognitions whereas dysfunctional cognitions in the experimental group remained unchanged. Future studies should replicate these findings in clinical groups with more profound levels of negative affect and dysfunctional cognitions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Effects of a best-possible-self mental imagery exercise on mood and dysfunctional attitudes

Renner

Schwarz

Peters

et al. 2014

Psychiatry Research

Self Cite

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Association Between Predeployment Optimism and Onset of Postdeployment Pain in US Army Soldiers

et al. 2019

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Key Points Question Are higher levels of predeployment optimism among US Army soldiers associated with fewer reports of new pain after deployment? Findings Among 20 734 US Army soldiers in this longitudinal cohort study, optimism was associated with 11% lower odds of reporting new postdeployment pain, even while adjusting for demographic, military, and combat factors, including traumatic experiences and combat injury. In addition, 37.3% of soldiers reported pain in at least 1 new area of the body after deployment. Meaning The findings suggest that soldiers with low levels of predeployment optimism may be at greater risk of developing new postdeployment pain and may benefit from scalable interventions designed to increase optimism.

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Association of Optimism With Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality

et al. 2019

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Become more optimistic by imagining a best possible self: Effects of a two week intervention

Cited by 277 publications

References 47 publications

Effects of a best-possible-self mental imagery exercise on mood and dysfunctional attitudes

Effects of a best-possible-self mental imagery exercise on mood and dysfunctional attitudes

Association Between Predeployment Optimism and Onset of Postdeployment Pain in US Army Soldiers

Association of Optimism With Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality

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