Analysis and Purpose of the Scale

The Unrealistic Optimism Scale is a self-report psychometric tool. It was developed by Mamalakis and Triliva in 2002 to study the level of optimism. The primary aim of the scale is to investigate levels of optimism, or the degree to which individuals have positive expectations about the future in various areas of their lives.

Question Scoring

The Unrealistic Optimism Scale consists of 16 questions and includes two main subscales: one referring to the future and the other to the present. Each subscale contains 8 questions. The questions in both subscales are identical, and what differentiates them is the time frame they refer to. Participants are asked to indicate the extent to which each statement applies to them using a 7-point Likert scale.

Statistical Analysis

The scale yields a total score for each subscale, calculated as the sum of responses to that subscale’s questions. The overall score is derived by subtracting the present subscale score from the future subscale score. A positive overall score indicates that the individual is optimistic, while a negative score suggests pessimism.

Validity and Reliability

The scale demonstrates good face validity and good construct validity. The internal consistency reliability is satisfactory, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for each subscale ranging from 0.67 to 0.79. Specifically, the Cronbach’s α for the future subscale ranges from 0.74 to 0.79, and for the present subscale, from 0.67 to 0.73.

References

Mamalakis, G. & Triliva, S. (2002). Unrealistic Optimism Scale. In A. Stalikas, S. Triliva, & P. Roussi (Eds.), Psychometric Tools in Greece (pp. 299–300). Athens: Ellinika Grammata.