Pessimism in Low-income Youth

During the past 20 years, research has counterintuitively linked pessimism to adaptive outcomes and optimism to negative outcomes in youth exposed to significant life stress events. The present study will examine pessimism in the context of low-income youth. The aim of the present study will be to determine whether or not exposure to low income environments can act as a buffer against the effects of pessimism on youth mental health and behavior. The research question will test if the presence of the low income status contributes t o a decrease in the maladaptive outcomes, previously linked to pessimism. The study will include a random sample of 35 low income youth who attend an after school program in the urban core of Kansas City, Missouri. The data will be collected via youth self-report on the Behavioral Assessment System for Children-2 and The Youth Life Orientation Test. Data from these measures will be analyzed to determine if scores on Adaptability, Atypicality and Pessimism are significantly related. A factorial ANOVA will also be conducted to determine the main effects and interactions among the three variables. The hypothesis is that the effects of low-income on youth pessimism are dependent on the levels of Atypicality and Adaptability. This will present a significant contribution to the field by providing information on how pessimism is related to low-income.