The study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Dutch Life Orientation Test-Revised for Adolescents (LOT-R-A), a self-report questionnaire assessing dispositional optimism, and to evaluate the two-factor structure (optimism, pessimism). The LOT-R-A and the questionnaires measuring well-being (MHC-SF-A) and psychological problems (SDQ) were completed by 459 Dutch adolescents (178 boys and 281 girls) between the ages of 11 and 18 years at baseline and 281 adolescents at a four-week follow-up. The results confirmed the two-factor structure (optimism, pessimism) of the LOT-R-A. The findings provided evidence of internal consistency of scores ranging from low to good, and evidence of good test-retest reliability of scores. Further, scores of optimism were cross-sectionally positively associated with scores of positive emotions and well-being and negatively with scores of psychological problems and negative emotions, providing evidence of convergent and divergent validity of optimism scores with emotions, well-being, and psychological problems. Lastly, scores of optimism were prospectively positively associated with scores of well-being and negatively with scores of psychological problems, providing evidence of criterion validity of optimism scores with well-being and psychological problems. Based on these findings it can be concluded that the LOT-R-A is a valid instrument to examine optimism among adolescents. Future research can help to elucidate the role of optimism in mental health interventions and can gather knowledge on how these interventions can be refined to optimally cultivate optimism during the developmental period of adolescence.

中文翻译：

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青少年的乐观情绪和心理健康：针对荷兰青少年的生命取向测试修订版（LOT-RA）的前瞻性验证研究。

这项研究旨在检查针对青少年进行的荷兰生活定向测试修订版（LOT-RA）的心理计量学特性，这是一种评估性情乐观的自我报告调查表，并评估了两因素结构（乐观主义，悲观主义）。LOT-RA和测量幸福感（MHC-SF-A）和心理问题（SDQ）的调查表由基线时11岁至18岁的459名荷兰青少年（178名男孩和281名女孩）和281名青少年完成在四个星期的随访中。结果证实了LOT-RA的两因素结构（乐观，悲观）。这些发现提供了分数从低到好的内部一致性的证据，以及分数重测信度良好的证据。更多，乐观分数与正面情绪和幸福分数呈正相关，与心理问题和负面情绪分数呈负相关，这提供了乐观分数与情绪，幸福感和心理问题的收敛性和发散性的证据。最后，乐观得分与幸福感得分呈正相关，与心理问题得分呈负相关，这为乐观得分与幸福感和心理问题的标准有效性提供了证据。根据这些发现，可以得出结论，LOT-RA是检验青少年乐观情绪的有效工具。