Measuring dispositional optimism in patients with chronic heart failure and their healthcare providers: the validity of the Life Orientation Test-Revised

Abstract

The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) measures dispositional optimism (DO) – an individual difference promoting physical and psychological well-being in healthy adults (HAs) as well as in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and healthcare providers (HPs). Controversy has arisen regarding the dimensionality of the LOT-R. Whereas DO was originally defined as a one-dimensional construct, empirical evidence suggests two correlated factors in the LOT-R. This study was the first attempt to identify the best factor structure of the LOT-R in patients with CHF and HPs and to evaluate its measurement invariance among subsamples of patients with CHF, HPs, and a normative sample of HAs. Its validity was also evaluated in patients with CHF. The sample comprised 543 participants (34% HAs; 34% HPs; and 32% CHF patients). Congeneric, two correlated factor, and two orthogonal factor models for the LOT-R were compared by performing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Measurement invariance was evaluated by considering differential item functioning (DIF) among subsamples of HPs, patients with CHF, and HAs. In patients with CHF, validity was assessed by considering associations with anxiety and depression. The CFA demonstrated the superior fit of the two orthogonal factor model. Moreover, across patients with CHF, HPs, and HAs, the results highlighted a minimal DIF with only trivial consequences. Finally, negative but weak correlations of DO with anxiety and depression confirmed the validity of the LOT-R in patients with CHF. In summary, these findings supported the validity and suitability of the LOT-R for the assessment of DO in patients with CHF, HPs, and HAs.

Dimensionality and Measurement Invariance of the Italian Version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in Postoperative Lung Cancer Patients

“…Thus, mainly because of the low sample size, we preferred the MIMIC model over the MCFA to assess the structural invariance of the EORTC QLQ-C30. In the last decade, MIMIC model had been adopted to validly test measurement invariance of self-report measure of QoL in asthma (Mora et al, 2009) and pediatric patients (Stevanovic et al, 2016), life satisfaction (Jang et al, 2017), dispositional optimism (Steca et al, 2017), protective behavioral strategies (Treloar et al, 2014), adolescent burnout (Li et al, 2013), and depression (Skule et al, 2014).…”

Clustering of Lifestyle Risk Factors in Acute Coronary Syndrome: Prevalence and Change after the First Event

“…Physical activity was measured at T0 and T1 by the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity Questionnaire‐1 (RAPA‐1; Topolski et al., ; Steca, Monzani et al., ; Steca, Pancani et al. ).…”

“…Depression and anxiety, which are strongly correlated with ACS onset and recurrence, may also affect the patient's likelihood of adhering to lifestyle modification programmes (Carney, Freedland, Miller, & Jaffe, ). Less negative illness perceptions are associated with better outcomes and long‐term behavioural changes in patients with cardiovascular diseases (Blair et al., ; French, Cooper, & Weinman, ; Greco et al., , ; Steca, Greco, D'Addario et al., ; Steca, Greco, Monzani et al., ; Steca, Monzani et al., ; Steca, Pancani et al. ).…”

Decreased albumin is associated with elevated N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and poor long-term prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure

“…Although the current medical technology is becoming more and more improve and perfect, the clinical prognosis of CHF patients is still not optimistic. [ 10 , 11 ] Previous data show that 17% to 45% of CHF patients die 1 year after discharge, while most CHF patients die within 5 years globally. [ 12 ] On the other hand, data from the Chinese heart failure registry also show that the probability of in-hospital mortality among CHF patients is as high as 4.1%.…”