In Table 2 in p. 175, Hatchett and Park (2004) presented the correlations among optimism (LOT-R Total and Positive Items); pessimism (Negative Items); psychopathology (OQ-45); and coping styles (Task, Emotion, Avoidance, Avoidance-Distraction, and Avoidance-Social Diversion). Table 2 is a mirror-image table with the variables numbered and labeled on the y-axis and the numbers of the variables on the x-axis. The blank spaces in the table are where the variable is correlated with itself and would be a +1.00 correlation.
1. What is the r value listed for the relationship between variables 4 and 9?
2. Describe the correlation r = -0.32** using words. Is this a statistically significant correlation? Provide a rationale for your answer.
3. Calculate the percentage of variance explained for r = 0.53. Is this correlation clinically important? Provide a rationale for your answer.
4. According to Table 2, r = 0.15 is listed as the correlation between which two items? Describe this relationship. What is the effect size for this relationship, and what size sample would be needed to detect this relationship in future studies?
5. Calculate the percentage of variance explained for r = 0.15. Describe the clinical importance of this relationship.
6. Which two variables in Table 2, have the weakest correlation, or r value? Which relationship is the closest to this r value? Provide a rationale for your answer.
7. Is the correlation between LOT-R Total scores and Avoidance-Distraction coping style statistically significant? Is this relationship relevant to practice? Provide rationales for your answers.
8. Is the correlation between variables 9 and 4 significant? Is this correlation relevant to practice? Provide a rationale for your answer.
9. Consider two values, r = 0.08 and r = -0.58. Describe them in relationship to each other. Describe the clinical importance of both r values.
10. Examine the Pearson r values for LOT-R Total, which measured Optimism with the Task and Emotion Coping Styles. What do these results indicate? How might you use this information in your practice?
BONUS QUESTION
One of the study goals was to examine the relationship between optimism and psychopathology. Using the data in Table 2, formulate an opinion regarding the overall correlation between optimism and psychopathology. Provide a rationale for your answer.
