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Activating Hope across Life Circumstances in the Face of Adversity: A Concise Review

Author

Listed:
  • Myron L. Belfer

    (Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital Senior Associate in Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital)

  • Kristy Stark

    (Harvard Graduate School of Education)

  • Kathryn Goetzke

    (iFred (International Foundation for Research and Education on Hope) Foundation, Hopeful Minds Initiative)

  • Karen Kirby

    (Ulster University)

  • C. Psychol

    (Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital Senior Associate in Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital)

  • Veronica O’Brien

    (Georgia Southern University)

Abstract

The current state of the world has left uncertainty and despair for many, subsequently leading to increased risks in numerous areas of life (i.e., health, education, workplace, relationships) and overall wellbeing. Hope, as a stand-alone construct, is a protective factor against many mental and physical health conditions, while serving as a strategy to improve all areas of life. Moreover, research has found hope is teachable, measurable, and learnable. However, the skills of hope are not taught, leaving us susceptible to the risks associated with hopelessness if we do not know how to proactively manage it and grow our hope. The following narrative review provides a synthesis of hope-related research across numerous domains of life, provides evidence for hope as a teachable construct, and compiles evidence-based Hopeful Mindset and Hopeful Minds curriculums to help ignite the dissemination of its skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Myron L. Belfer & Kristy Stark & Kathryn Goetzke & Karen Kirby & C. Psychol & Veronica O’Brien, 2025. "Activating Hope across Life Circumstances in the Face of Adversity: A Concise Review," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 20(3), pages 977-994, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:20:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11482-025-10446-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-025-10446-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hui‐Ching Wu, 2011. "The protective effects of resilience and hope on quality of life of the families coping with the criminal traumatisation of one of its members," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(13‐14), pages 1906-1915, July.
    2. Laura Galiana & Amparo Oliver & Patricia Sancho & José Tomás, 2015. "Dimensionality and Validation of the Dispositional Hope Scale in a Spanish Sample," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 120(1), pages 297-308, January.
    3. Susana Marques & Shane Lopez & Joanna Mitchell, 2013. "The Role of Hope, Spirituality and Religious Practice in Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction: Longitudinal Findings," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 251-261, March.
    4. Eggerman, Mark & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2010. "Suffering, hope, and entrapment: Resilience and cultural values in Afghanistan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 71-83, July.
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