Hope has long been a topic of interest for psychologists, philosophers, educators, and physicians. In the past few decades, researchers from various disciplines and from around the world have studied how hope relates to superior academic performance, improved outcomes in the workplace, and improved psychological and physical health in individuals of all ages. Edited by Matthew W. Gallagher and the late Shane J. Lopez, The Oxford Handbook of Hope provides readers with a thorough and comprehensive update on the past 25 years of hope research while simultaneously providing an outline of what leading hope researchers believe the future of this line of research to be.

In this extraordinary volume, Gallagher, Lopez, and their expert team of contributors discuss such topics as how best to define hope, how hope is distinguished from related philosophical and psychological constructs, what the current best practices are for measuring and quantifying hope, interventions and strategies for promoting hope across a variety of settings, the impact it has on physical and mental health, and the ways in which hope promotes positive functioning. Throughout its pages, these experts review what is currently known about hope and identify the topics and questions that will help guide the next decade of research ahead.

Matthew W. Gallagher is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Houston. He received his doctorate in clinical and quantitative psychology from the University of Kansas in 2011. His research focuses on the role of hope in promoting resilience to and recovery from emotional disorders, the development of novel treatments for emotional disorders, and the benefits of positive aspects of mental health.

Shane J. Lopez was a Gallup Senior Scientist and Research Director of the Clifton Strengths Institute. He published extensively, including Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths, The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology, Positive Psychological Assessment: A Handbook of Models and Measures, Positive Psychology: Exploring the Best in People, The Encyclopedia of Positive Psychology, and The Psychology of Courage: Modern Research on an Ancient Virtue. He was a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the International Positive Psychology Association.

Foreword
Todd Kashdan

Memoriam: Remembering Shane J. Lopez
Matthew W. Gallagher

Part I - Defining Hope
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Science of Hope
Matthew W. Gallagher and Shane J. Lopez

Chapter 2: The History of Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives on Hope: Toward Defining Hope for the Science of Positive Development
Kristina Schmid Callina, Nancy Snow, and Elise D. Murray

Chapter 3: Hope Theory
C.R. Snyder, Kevin L. Rand, and David R. Sigmon

Chapter 4: Hope, Self-Efficacy, and Optimism: Conceptual and Empirical Differences
Kevin L. Rand

Chapter 5: Self-Determination and Hope
Michael L. Wehmeyer and Karrie A. Shogren

Chapter 6: How Hope Influences Goal-Directed Behavior
Gabriele Oettingen and Malin Patricia Chromik

Part II - Measuring Hope
Chapter 7: Hope Measurement
Sage Rose and Nicole Sieben

Chapter 8: A Cultural Context Lens of Hope
Lisa M. Edwards and Jessica B. McClintock

Part III - Promoting Hope
Chapter 9: The Will and the Ways in School: Hope as a Factor in Academic Success
Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti

Chapter 10: Promoting Hope in Children
Susana C. Marques and Shane J. Lopez

Chapter 11: Hope Therapy
Jennifer S. Cheavens and Madison M. Guter

Chapter 12: Promoting Hope in Older Adults
Amber M. Gum

Part IV - Hope and Physical Health
Chapter 13: Hope and Physical Health
Heather N. Rasmussen, Kristin Koetting O'Byrne, Marcy Vandament, and Brian P. Cole

Chapter 14: Hope and Children's Health
Michael Rapoff and Ron Freche

Chapter 15: Hope and Athletic Performance
Henrik Gustafsson, Leslie Podlog, and Paul Davis

Chapter 16: Hope in the Midst of Terminal Illness
Douglas L. Hill and Chris Feudnter

Part V - Hope and Mental Health
Chapter 17: Hope and Depression
Lorie A. Ritschel and Christopher S. Sheppard

Chapter 18: Hope and Anxiety
Randolph C. Arnau

Chapter 19: Hope and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Laura J. Long and Matthew W. Gallagher

Chapter 20: Hope and Coping in Individuals with Specific Learning Disorder
Michal Al-Yagon and Malka Margalit

Chapter 21: Hope and Stress Resilience
Anthony Ong, Taylor Standiford, and Saarang Deshpande

Part VI - Hope and Positive Functioning
Chapter 22: Hope and Well-Being
Jenny Y. Lee and Matthew W. Gallagher

Chapter 23: Hope and Adolescent Mental Health
Xi Jiang, Kristin L. Otis, Marco Weber, and E. Scott Huebner

Chapter 24: Attachment Processes and the Social/Developmental Bases of Hope
Hal S. Shorey, Steve Bisgaier, and Scott R. Thien

Chapter 25: Hope and Work
Angela R. Mouton and Monica N. Montijo

Chapter 26: Hope and Meaning-in-Life: Points of Contact between Hope Theory and Existentialism
David B. Feldman, Meenakshi Balaraman, and Craig Anderson

Part VII - The Future of Hope
Chapter 27: Future Directions in the Science of Hope
Matthew W. Gallagher, Jennifer S. Cheavens, Lisa M. Edwards, David B. Feldman, Amber M. Gum, Susana C. Marques, Kevin L. Rand, Lorie Ritschel, Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, and Hal S. Shorey