Association between Optimism and Perceived Stress among Working Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

: Background: Occupational demands and work-life responsibilities frequently contribute to psychological stress among working adults. Individual psychological characteristics, such as optimism, may influence subjective appraisals of stress. Objective: This study examined the relationship between dispositional optimism and perceived stress among working adults aged 21 – 60 years and evaluated whether optimism statistically predicts perceived stress levels. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional correlational design was conducted with N = 102 working adults recruited via convenience sampling. Participants completed demographic items, a 12-item optimism scale, and a 12-item perceived stress scale. Data were analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson’s product -moment correlation, and simple linear regression. Results : The optimism measure demonstrated good internal consistency (α = .804; M = 44.90, SD = 6.79), and the perceived stress measure demonstrated high internal consistency (α = .923; M = 22.00, SD = 9.52). Pearson's correlati on revealed a statistically significant negative association between optimism and perceived stress, r(100) = -.229, p = .021. Simple linear regression indicated that optimism significantly predicted perceived stress, β = -.229, p = .021, F(1, 100) = 5.542, accounting for 5.3% of the variance (R² = .053). Conclusion: Higher optimism is associated with lower perceived stress in working adults. However, because optimism accounts for a modest proportion of variance, it represents one of several protective psychological correlates rather than a sole determinant. Workplace well-being initiatives should integrate individual resilience-building with organizational structural changes.