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Positive appraisal style: The mental immune system?1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2015

Laura Luyten ,
Yannick Boddez  and
Dirk Hermans
Laura Luyten
Affiliation:
Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. laura.luyten@ppw.kuleuven.beyannick.boddez@ppw.kuleuven.bedirk.hermans@ppw.kuleuven.beppw.kuleuven.be/clep
Yannick Boddez
Affiliation:
Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. laura.luyten@ppw.kuleuven.beyannick.boddez@ppw.kuleuven.bedirk.hermans@ppw.kuleuven.beppw.kuleuven.be/clep
Dirk Hermans
Affiliation:
Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. laura.luyten@ppw.kuleuven.beyannick.boddez@ppw.kuleuven.bedirk.hermans@ppw.kuleuven.beppw.kuleuven.be/clep
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Abstract

Instead of converging to one, all-embracing resilience mechanism – that is, positive appraisal style – we encourage complementary research strategies, exploring both vulnerabilities and resilience factors, much like the biomedical sciences combine insights from pathophysiology and immunology. Furthermore, we argue that research with a strong focus on one central resilience mechanism may overlook or undervalue other processes that can aid in maintaining mental health.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 38 , 2015 , e112
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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Footnotes

1.

The authors contributed equally to the preparation of this commentary.

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