Hope has previously been a construct more of interest to philosophy and religion than in psychology. New research has shown, however, that hope is closely related to optimism, feelings of control, and motivation toward achieving one's goals. The Handbook of Hope presents a comprehensive overview of the psychological inquiry into hope, including its measurement, its development in children, how its loss is associated with specific clinical disorders, and therapeutic approaches that can help instill hope in those who have lost theirs. A final section discusses hope in occupational applications: how the use of hope can make one a better coach, teacher, or parent.

• Defines hope as a construct and describes development of hope through the lifespan
• Provides multiple instruments for measuring hope
• Guides professionals in how to assess hope levels & implement hope as part of therapy
• Relates hope to all portions of the population
• Includes case studies, figures, and tables to aid understanding of research findings and concepts; discusses the importance of hope to relationships, achieving goals, and success at work

• Front Cover 2
• Handbook of Hope: Theory, Measures, & Applications 5
• Copyright Page 6
• Contents 9
• Contributors 19
• Foreword 23
• Preface 25
• Section I: Theorizing 29
  • Chapter 1. Hypothesis: There Is Hope 31
    • From the Tale of Pandora to the 20th Century 31
    • Hope toward the 21st Century 32
    • Hope Theory 33
    • Hope Theory and Other Motivation-Related Concepts 41
    • Concluding Thoughts 45
    • References 46