THE MEASUREMENT OF OPTIMISM: THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE HUNGARIAN VERSION OF THE REVISED LIFE ORIENTATION TEST (LOT–R)

The Life Orientation Test (LOT), developed by Scheier and Carver (1985), is the most widely used measure of trait optimism. The predictive power of optimism for (physical) health (i.e. number of physical symptoms, speed of recovery, mortality and immune functions) was proved in a number of studies. However, the original (LOT) and revised (LOT–R) versions of the measure, and the construct of optimism have been and are criticized by many. These critiques include, on the one hand, the factor structure of the scale, and, on the other hand, the discriminant validity of trait optimism, i.e. the third variable problem. After the brief review of the scale and the construct, and their critiques, we present the validity and reliability data, and the results of our exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the sample data. The computed psychometric properties suggest that the Hungarian version of the LOT–R exhibits a good level of reliability and validity, but data bearing on its factor structure did not support unambiguously either the scale’s uni- or multidimensionality.