Sub-scales of optimism and pessimism are useful both when compared against one another and combined for practical use in a clinical setting [ 34].
Participants were asked to rate on a five point Likert scale their level of optimism regarding the development of the practice nurse role in Australia.
A saturated model in OpenMx [ 40] was used to test equality of means and variances in twins and siblings, to test for sex differences in mean levels of optimism scales and pessimism, and to estimate twin and twin-sibling correlations (with 95%% confidence intervals).
In addition, each patient reported his or her level of optimism using another four-level scale to rate expectations of returning to a normal lifestyle [ 26].
The six remaining items measure participants' expectations about their future and their general sense of optimism on a 5-point scale.
The scale has 14 items covering: positive affect (feelings of optimism, cheerfulness, relaxation); positive functioning (energy, clear thinking, self-acceptance, personal development, competence and authority); and relationships with others.
(For example, a four-option assessment may consider how the respondent's selections represent scales of independence, social confidence, introversion, or optimism).
High degrees of internal consistency were observed for the scales of personal, social and self-efficacy optimism.
Students self-evaluated their personality traits of optimism, innovativeness, risk-taking propensity and competitiveness on Likert scales that ranged from 1 = Strongly disagree, to 6 = Strongly agree.
Biden campaigned heavily for Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections, maintaining an attitude of optimism in the face of general predictions of large-scale losses for the party.
The Life Orientation Test Revised [ 63, 64], is a 10-item scale that assesses subjects' expectations about their future and their general sense of optimism.
