How Bright is the Bright Side? Measurement and Implications of Toxic Positivity for Self and Others

Abstract

Toxic positivity refers to the belief that no matter how hard or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive outlook. The present research aimed to demonstrate that toxic positivity is a measurable construct through the development of the Binns Toxic Positivity Scale (BTPS). For Study One a community sample (N = 94) completed an initial set of 13 items to index toxic positivity. Factor analysis showed that items could be reduced to two subscales: Control and Positivity. Each subscale showed acceptable reliability, and correlations between the two subscales and emotion regulation strategies provided evidence of validity. Importantly, the subscales failed to correlate with optimism, indicating that the BTPS assesses a separate construct. The purpose of Study Two was two-fold: (1) to examine the psychometric properties of a revised BTPS and (2) to assess the impact of mood. Results from a sample of undergraduates (N = 142) showed that the revised Control and Positivity subscales were reliable. However, the evidence for validity was mixed. Specifically, the Control subscale was associated with more optimism, self-compassion, and better mental health, indicating that aspects of toxic positivity may have benefits for individuals. Of interest was the finding that participants who received toxic positivity feedback after reading an imaginary scenario of failure experienced more negative mood than participants who received compassionate feedback. This negative impact of toxic positivity on mood was moderated by individuals’ level of self-compassion. Overall, findings illustrate that toxic positivity is a measurable construct, that scores relate to emotion regulation strategies, and that toxic positivity statements have negative impacts on others. Future research should focus on refinement of the BTPS and validity of its utility.