Prior research indicates that depressive symptoms in unselected or sub-clinical samples are associated with time perspective biases, including a more negative view of the past and a more fatalistic ...attitude toward the present. In the current study, we compared time perspective profiles for a clinical sample, with a depression diagnosis with that of a control group. Additionally, we considered a measure known as deviations from the balanced time perspective (DBTP) that capture deviations across time frames, not considered in previous studies. A second obejctive was to test a model involving DPTP as a mediator of the links between cognitive fusion and self-compassion with depressive symptoms.
In total, 300 individuals participated in the study, 150 participants with a depression diagnosis and 150 without a depression diagnoses. All participants filled in questions regarding background variables together with Polish adaptations of ZTPI, CFQ, SCS-S, and DASS-21 using a web-survey.
The results showed significantly higher scores on Past Negative and Present Fatalistic in the clinical sample. In line with the hypothesis the clinical group also displayed elevated DBTP scores (
= 0.75), a difference that remained significant when current symptoms were adjusted for. The results of structural equation modeling moreover indicate a major role of cognitive fusion (which, as expected, was strongly associated with DBTP) in predicting symptom burden, regardless of the clinical/non-clinical distinction, but. Still, DBTP accounted for significant (unique) variance in depressive symptoms. By contrast, the inclusion of cognitive fusion and DBTP eliminated the association of self-compassion and depressive symptoms.
Taken together, the results indicate that levels of DBTP/fusion for persons with depression diagnosis is present regardless of current symptom burden. Thus, DBTP could be regarded as a risk factor of developing depression. Prospective research designs are needed to further evaluate the associations of the main constructs in this study and the extent to which they are predictive of future diagnosis and changes in symptom level.
Measures of psychological flexibility and self-compassion are strongly associated with well-being. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that these relationships are mediated by a ...balanced time perspective, a proposed ideal way of relating to the past, present, and future that may correspond with an ability to flexibly switch temporal focus. For this purpose, a Polish community sample (
N
= 421) responded to a web-survey including measures of psychological flexibility (AAQ-II), self-compassion (SCS), two measures of positive aspects of well-being (Satisfaction with Life, Quality of Life), and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI). Structural equation models, involving a measure of deviation from a balanced time perspective (DBTP) as a mediator of relationships between latent-level psychological flexibility, self-compassion and well-being factors, were tested. We examined separate models for psychological flexibility and self-compassion and a model including both constructs. The results for separate models were consistent with partial mediation of relationships with well-being, both for psychological flexibility and self-compassion. Results for the analysis involving both constructs, suggested unique contributions of both to DBTP, which in turn predicted well-being, but the link between psychological flexibility and DBTP appeared to be the strongest. In further analyses, three ZTPI dimensions were identified as most critical, namely Past Positive, Present Fatalistic, and Past Negative, each of which were part of an indirect effect on well-being. Psychological flexibility in particular, showed a strong negative association with a Past Negative orientation. Taken together, the results indicate that time perspective is a factor to understand the links between psychological flexibility/self-compassion and well-being. While the results pertaining to self-compassion were consistent with results of a couple of prior studies, this is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of a link between psychological flexibility and a balanced time perspective. These findings should be relevant for clinical research and practice.
Introduction Poor mentalization, or lack of capacity to reflect on self and others in terms mental states, thoughts, and feelings, and time perspective biases were both related to mental disorders ...and lower wellbeing in separate studies. Expanding one prior study, we examined the relationship of mentalization and time perspective, including a measure known as deviations from the balanced time perspective (DBTP) that summarizes time perspective biases across the past, present, and future time frames. Method A convenience sample of 258 participants responded to a version of the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8) and a six-dimensional version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI). Given recent evidence that the original two-factor structure of the RFQ may need to be reconsidered, we used confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) to compare alternative models for RFQ as a first step. Results In line with several recent studies, the CFA favored a unitary model of RFQ-8 reflecting hypomentalization (or uncertainty). The total score showed significant associations with Past Negative, Present Fatalistic, and Future Negative dimensions of S-ZTPI, while hypomentalization was negatively associated with Future Positive. Of major interest, DBTP and hypomentalization showed a strong positive correlation ( r = 0.64 for latent constructs; r = 0.62 in an adjusted model). Conclusion Deviations from the balanced time perspective were substantially related to hypomentalization. Further research is required to examine the generalizability of the finding (e.g., to measures of mentalization focused on others) and to provide a better understanding of the theoretical basis of the link. Potentially shared associations in development (e.g., attachment style) and mindfulness, that may influence both time perspective and mentalization is of interest in this regard.
A major aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between time perspective, i.e., habitual ways of relating to the past, present, and future, and sleep quality. A second aim was to ...test a model by which the expected negative relationship between deviation from a balanced time perspective (DBTP), a measure taking temporal biases across all three time frames into account, and life satisfaction was mediated by poor sleep quality. To these ends, a sample of young adults (
= 386) completed a version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). A measure of chronotype was in addition included for control purposes. Bivariate analyses revealed that the S-ZTPI subscales Past Negative, Future Negative and Present Fatalistic were associated with poorer sleep quality (higher PSQI scores), with significant associations in the opposite direction for Past Positive and Future Positive. However, DBTP was the strongest predictor of (poorer) sleep quality, suggesting that time perspective biases have an additive effect on sleep quality. Regression analyses with PSQI as the dependent variable and all six ZTPI subscales as the predictors indicated that time perspective accounted for about 20% of the variance in sleep quality (17% beyond chronotype), with Past Negative, Past Positive, and Future Negative as the unique predictors. The results additionally confirmed a strong relationship between DBTP and life satisfaction. Finally, data were consistent with the hypothesis that the association of DBTP and life satisfaction is mediated, in part, by sleep quality. Taken together, the results confirmed a substantial link between time perspective sleep-related problems, factors that may have a negative impact on life satisfaction.
The objective of the study was to examine the role of social value orientation and future time perspective to account for individual differences in pro-environmental behaviors, intentions, and ...opinions about the link between pro-environmental action and pandemic threat (three separate models) in Polish and Swedish samples expected to differ in rate of pro-environmental behaviors (higher in Sweden). We hypothesized that for Poland, future time perspective would be linked to pro-environmental outcomes only when social value orientation is average or high. In contrast, for Sweden, we expected a significant link between these variables regardless of social value orientation.
In total, 301 (150 Polish, 151 Swedish) participants completed online surveys via Prolific.co research panel. We controlled for individualizing/binding moral foundations, present time perspectives, and selected demographic variables in the analyses.
In line with expectations, the individualizing moral foundations were a significant predictor across all three models. The data did not support our focal hypothesis regarding the interaction between future time perspective and social value orientation. For pro-environmental behaviors in the past 6 months, the future time perspective was a predictor only when social value orientation was low.
The results suggest that when encouraging more competitive (compared to altruistic) people to behave in a green way, it might be crucial to underline the future consequences and benefits, consistent with the future time perspective. The pro-environmental campaigns could, therefore, highlight how green behavior may bring personal gains in the future, which are typically valued by individualistic people, such as savings or social status.
The aims of this study were (a) to examine the effects of a 6 weeks web-based mindful self-compassion program on stress and burnout symptoms in a group of practicing psychologists, and (b) to examine ...relationships between changes in self-compassion and self-coldness and changes in stress and burnout symptoms.
In a randomized controlled trial, 101 practicing psychologists were assigned to a training group (
= 51) or a wait-list control group (
= 49). The training encompassed 15 min exercises per day, 6 days a week, for 6 weeks. The participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ) pre and post intervention.
Eighty-one participants (
= 40 in the training group,
= 41 in the control group) took part in the pre and post intervention assessments. Selective gains for the intervention group were observed for SCS total scores (
= 0.86;
= 0.94 for the SCS), FFMQ scores (
= 0.60), while levels of self-coldness was reduced (
= 0.73). Critically, levels of perceived stress (
= 0.59) and burnout symptoms (
= 0.44 for SMBQ total) were additionally lowered post intervention. Finally, the results confirmed the hypothesis that the measures of distress would be more strongly related to self-coldness than self-compassion, a pattern seen in cross-sectional analyses and, for burnout, also in the longitudinal analyses.
This training program appeared effective to increase self-compassion/reduce self-coldness, and to alleviate stress and symptoms of burnout and provide support of the distinction between self-compassion and self-coldness. Additional studies, preferably three-armed RCTs with long-term follow-up, are warranted to further evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
Abstract Introduction The objective was to examine whether subjective memory impairment (SMI) predicts all-cause dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a population-based study with long-term ...follow-up (median = 10 years). Methods A total of 2043 initially dementia-free participants (≥ 60 years) made three memory ratings (“compared with others”, “compared with five years ago”, and “complaints from family/friends”) at baseline. During follow-up, 372 participants developed dementia (208 with AD). Results Cox regression revealed that subjective memory impairment ratings predicted all-cause dementia in models adjusting for age and sex (hazard ratio or HR from 2.04 to 3.94), with even higher values for AD (HR from 2.29 to 5.74). The result persisted in models including other covariates, including baseline episodic memory performance, and in analyses restricted to participants with long time to dementia diagnosis (≥ 5 years). Discussion The findings underscore the usefulness of subjective memory assessment in combination with other factors in identifying individuals at risk for developing dementia.
This study investigated relations between general cognitive ability (g) and aspects of time perspective, i.e. habitual ways of relating to the past, present, and future, in a sample of older adults ...(60–90 years, N = 438). In main focus was a measure of deviations from a balanced time perspective (DBTP), reflecting the differences between proposed ideal and observed score profile on the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI). A current g factor reflecting four cognitive markers was negatively related to DBTP (β = −0.31), with a higher estimate (β = −0.40) for a latent DBTP factor. For a subset of male participants (n = 129), cognitive test score from age 18 were retrieved. In that sample the g factor in youth predicted DBTP scores obtained around 52 years later (β = −0.31, p < .01) nearly as well as current g (β = −0.39). In line with prior studies, the Present Fatalistic dimension was a main source of the covariation of g and DBTP, but deviation scores for each of the three temporal frames (past, present, future) were significantly associated with g as well. Variations in recent stress did not account for these associations. Multi-group latent level analyses revealed a magnified g-DBTP association in old-old age (β = −0.57 and β = −0.81 in the old-old group for a latent DBTP factor), with a similar pattern for Present Fatalistic and Past Negative. Together, the results demonstrate a substantial association between g and time perspective in late adulthood, a relationship that may have been established early as judged from a relation to the age 18 g factor. A magnified association in in old-old age might reflect a more noticeable impact of age-related cognitive deficits on everyday functioning and thereby aspects of time perspective (e.g. increase present fatalism). Impairments in cognitive processes that allow for a flexible shift between temporal frames could also be factor, something which needs to be evaluated in future studies.
•A few recent studies indicated a negative association of intelligence and a measure of deviations from a balanced time perspective.•We examined relations between g and aspects of time perspective in an older sample.•Deviations from a balanced time perspective was significantly related to g in old age and also to g at age 18.•The association between g and aspects of time perspective was magnified in old-old age (80+).
Abstract
Objectives
Evidence is accumulating that early-life characteristics and experiences contribute significantly to differences in cognitive aging. This study investigated whether school ...performance at age 12 predicted late-life level and rate of memory change over 15–25 years, and whether its potential protective influence on memory change was mediated by educational attainment or income.
Methods
Latent growth curve models were fitted to 15–25 year longitudinal memory data from a population-based sample, stratified on age cohorts (n = 227, born 1909–1935; n = 301, born 1938–1954).
Results
A latent-level school grade variable significantly predicted both memory level and slope in later-born cohorts. Higher grades were associated with higher level and reduced decline, measured between ages 45 and 70 years, on average. In the earlier-born cohorts, grades predicted memory level, but not slope, measured between ages 66 and 81 years. Follow-up analyses indicated that the protective influence of higher school grades in later-born cohorts was partially mediated by educational attainment, but independent of income.
Discussion
The results suggest that higher childhood school performance is protective against age-related cognitive decline in younger or later-born cohorts, for which further education has been more accessible. Education may exert such influence through increased cognitive reserve or more well-informed health- and lifestyle decisions.
Objectives
The aim of this nationwide study was to examine the association between age at retirement and dementia risk, with a follow‐up period of up to 24 years.
Methods/design
This cohort study ...comprised Swedish citizens born in 1930 who were alive in the year 1990 (n = 63 505). The cohort was followed for incidents of dementia through data provided by the Swedish National Patient Register and the Cause of Death Register. Age at retirement and socioeconomic variables were retrieved from Statistics Sweden.
Results
During the follow‐up, 5181 individuals received a dementia diagnosis. Competing risk regression models, adjusted for sex, education, marital status, occupation, and previous history of cardiovascular diseases, showed that later‐than‐average retirement age was associated with decreased dementia risk.
Conclusions
The present results support the idea that individuals who retired at an older age have a decrease risk of dementia. However, as this was an observation study, unmeasured factors, such as premorbid cognitive level and genetic predisposition, may have influenced our findings and remains to be elucidated in future studies.
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