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An exploratory study on the relation between time perspective, positive mental health and psychological distress across the adult lifespan.

Stahl, Miriam (2012) An exploratory study on the relation between time perspective, positive mental health and psychological distress across the adult lifespan.

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Abstract:Purpose. The present study was designed to examine the relation between time perspective and complete mental health across the adult lifespan. It was also performed to further confirm the two continua model of mental health and mental illness by investigating whether time perspective was differently related to psychological distress and positive mental health. Methods. The study was performed among 512 young, middle-aged and old adults between the ages of 17 and 92. They filled out questionnaires on positive mental health, psychological distress, time perspective and demographic information. Results. A significant relation was found for age and complete mental health. Young adults experienced more psychological distress, middle-aged adults more positive mental health and old adults less psychological well-being. A significant relation was also found for age and time perspective. Young adults were more often classified as futurists and less often as reminiscers, middle-aged adults more often as time expansive (i.e., balanced) and old adults more often as both reminiscers and time restrictive but less often as futurists and time expansive. In addition, a significant relation was found for time perspective and positive mental health but not for psychological distress. The time expansive category had the highest and the time restrictive category the lowest scores on positive mental health. It was also found that time perspective was differently related to both continua of complete mental health. No relation was found for the interaction of age and time perspective and complete mental health. Conclusion. The results of this study indicate that time perspective and age, separately, are both correlates of positive mental health. In addition, age is also a correlate of psychological distress and time perspective. The findings provide partially support for a balanced time perspective as one of the temporal orientation being most conducive for well-being. They further confirm the two continua model of mental health, and they also provide empirical evidence for the distinction between emotional, psychological and social well-being. These results have important implications for future research and public mental health care.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology MSc (66604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/61694
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