Positive Orientation: Explorations on What is Common to Life Satisfaction, Self-Esteem, and Optimism

Aim – Literature documents that the judgments people hold about themselves, their life, and their future are important ingredients of their psychological functioning and well-being, and are commonly related to each other. Methods – We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) under the classical test theory, regression analysis, and a cross national design. Results – This study provides new findings attesting to the hypothesis that evaluations about oneself, one’s life, and one’s future rest on a common mode of viewing experiences which we named “Positive Orientation”. Conclusions – Results from an Italian and a Canadian study are presented, attesting to a latent dimension that lies at the core of positive evaluations and that corroborates the utility of the new construct as a critical component of individuals’ well-functioning.