查看文章

Snyder's (1994) hope and Scheier and Carver's (1985) optimism have been shown to independently predict academic performance and changes in subjective well-being. This study seeks to clarify their unique associations.

An undergraduate class (N = 334, 59.6% female, 75.7% Caucasian, M = 19.89 years) was studied at two time points in a semester. Students predicted their expected grade in the course and completed measures of hope, optimism, and subjective well-being (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction) the first week of classes. The final week of classes, students completed subjective well-being measures and final grades were obtained from the instructor.

Path analysis showed that hope, but not optimism, predicted grade expectancy. Grade expectancy, in turn, predicted final grades, even after controlling for previous academic achievement. Hope did not directly …