Chapter 13. How Hopeful Are You? Why Is This Important?

Intro

How Hopeful Are You? Why Is This Important?
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Play this brief video introduction from one of your authors, Nathan DeWall.

Test Yourself

How hopeful are you?

Read each of the following items carefully, and select the number that best describes you.

Question 13.1

1. I energetically pursue my goals.

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2. I can think of many ways to get out of a jam.

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3. My past experiences have prepared me well for my future.

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4. There are lots of ways around any problem.

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5. I’ve been pretty successful in life.

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6. I can think of many ways to get things done in life that are most important to me.

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7. I meet the goals that I set for myself.

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8. Even when others get discouraged, I know I can find a way to solve the problem.

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{true} setModel("q1", qqMC1)
{true} setModel("q2", qqMC2)
{true} setModel("q3", qqMC3)
{true} setModel("q4", qqMC4)
{true} setModel("q5", qqMC5)
{true} setModel("q6", qqMC6)
{true} setModel("q7", qqMC7)
{true} setModel("q8", qqMC8)
{true} setModel("total", qqMC1+1 + qqMC2+1 + qqMC3+1 + qqMC4+1 + qqMC5+1 + qqMC6+1 + qqMC7+1 + qqMC8+1)
{true} setModel("total1", qqMC1+1 + qqMC3+1 + qqMC5+1 + qqMC7+1)
{true} setModel("total2", qqMC2+1 + qqMC4+1 + qqMC6+1 + qqMC8+1)

The famed hope researcher, C. R. Snyder, developed this quiz to assess hopefulness.

Your Score

Your total HOPE score is:

{model.total}

(Range of 8–32; average score is 24)

Billion Photos/Shutterstock

Your total AGENCY SUBSCALE score is:

{model.total1}

(Range of 4–16; average score is 12)

Your total PATHWAYS SUBSCALE score is:

{model.total2}

(Range of 4–16, average score is 12)

Hope involves willpower and “waypower” to reach future goals. The Hope questionnaire gives you three scores. In addition to an overall Hope score, you received an Agency subscale score. This refers to the willpower or energy needed to keep moving toward your goals. You also received a Pathways subscale score. This score represents the waypower—or perceived ability to generate routes to achieve those goals. The average score for the Agency and Pathway subscales is 12, and the average total Hope score is 24. Higher scores reflect more hope.

Hope contrasts sharply with depression. People with major depressive disorder often feel that life lacks meaning (Smith & Rhoades, 2014). They doubt that their persistent blue mood will ever improve (Abramson et al., 1989). Building hope can help those with depression move forward.

Those with greater hope set more challenging goals for themselves. They also have objectives that are concrete and vivid. They are often optimistic and view obstacles as invigorating challenges rather than impossible threats. Being hopeful helps people solve problems and enjoy higher levels of achievement.

Build This Strength

Life is filled with inescapable disappointments. Sometimes our sadness or distress will last longer than usual, disrupting our ability to function.

Many psychological disorders leave people feeling hopeless. Fostering hope can help prevent or treat psychological disorders.

Apollofoto/Shutterstock

1. Start by identifying and prioritizing your goals.

2. Use positive self-talk to strengthen your motivation and your search for appropriate pathways.

3. Rehearse the process, not simply the destination, to help you achieve your goals.

4. Build a strong support network and join with others in the pursuit of collective well-being. Hope survives best in community.

5. Use willpower to interpret setbacks in terms of causes that are:

  • external (my poor test results don’t mean I’m a bad student, but only reflect that I missed that key review session because I was ill),

  • temporary (I will do better on the next test), and

  • specific (my poor performance relates to that one test only and not to my overall abilities as a student).

Abramson, L. Y., Metalsky, G. I., & Alloy, L. B. (1989). Hopelessness depression: A theory-based subtype. Psychological Review, 96, 358–372.

Smith, J. A., & Rhodes, J. E. (2014). Being depleted and being shaken: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experiential features of a first episode of depression. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 88, 197–209.

Snyder, C. R. (1994). The psychology of hope: You can get from here to there. New York: Free Press.

Snyder, C. R. (2013). Making hope happen: Create the future you want for yourself and others. New York: Atria Books.

QUIZ

Are you ready for the Quiz? Demonstrate and reinforce your understanding by answering the following questions.

Question

Billion Photos/Shutterstock

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Correct answers
1. b. hopelessness.
2. d. solving problems.
3. b. Agency
4. a. Waypower
5. c. specific, and temporary.