The Experience of Dispositional Optimism among Female African-Americans, Latinas/Hispanics, and Caucasians in Generation Z: An Existential Phenomenological Investigation
Location
Presentation- Waters College of Health Professions
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis Presentation (Restricted to Georgia Southern)
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Daniel Czech
Faculty Mentor Email
.
Presentation Year
2021
Start Date
26-4-2021 12:00 AM
End Date
30-4-2021 12:00 AM
Keywords
Georgia Southern University, Honors Symposium, Presentation
Description
Mental health is becoming an increasingly important topic within Generation Z. 39% of college students in the United States reported experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety (Burwell, 2018). Conversely, researchers have shown an inverse relationship between high levels of optimism and depression, as well as between optimism and suicide ideation (Chang, Martos, Sallay, Change, Wright, Najarian, & Lee, 2016). Additionally, Optimism has been negatively correlated with negative psychological outcomes (Chang, et al., 2016). The purpose of this study will be to examine dispositional optimism within female Generation Z university students. Researchers will use a qualitative interviewing process to capture the full essence of an individual’s experience with optimism by asking the singular question “what does optimism mean to you?” Further probing questions will be asked to gather the most complete and detailed experience from the individual. The interviews will then be analyzed using a phenomenological analysis technique. From this, a thematic structure on the lived experience of Optimism will be created. Discussions of Optimism and future directions of optimism research will take place.
Academic Unit
Waters College of Health Professions
The Experience of Dispositional Optimism among Female African-Americans, Latinas/Hispanics, and Caucasians in Generation Z: An Existential Phenomenological Investigation
Presentation- Waters College of Health Professions
Mental health is becoming an increasingly important topic within Generation Z. 39% of college students in the United States reported experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety (Burwell, 2018). Conversely, researchers have shown an inverse relationship between high levels of optimism and depression, as well as between optimism and suicide ideation (Chang, Martos, Sallay, Change, Wright, Najarian, & Lee, 2016). Additionally, Optimism has been negatively correlated with negative psychological outcomes (Chang, et al., 2016). The purpose of this study will be to examine dispositional optimism within female Generation Z university students. Researchers will use a qualitative interviewing process to capture the full essence of an individual’s experience with optimism by asking the singular question “what does optimism mean to you?” Further probing questions will be asked to gather the most complete and detailed experience from the individual. The interviews will then be analyzed using a phenomenological analysis technique. From this, a thematic structure on the lived experience of Optimism will be created. Discussions of Optimism and future directions of optimism research will take place.
Comments
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