Three different pathway of time perspective toward adolescents’ life satisfaction

Introduction The adolescents can cope life experience from different time perspectives: basing on their negative/positive past and pursuing present gratification or personal future development (Ferrari, et al. 2010; Hesketh, 2000; Peetsma, et al. 2005). According to Zhang, Howell, and Stolarski (2013) and Boniwell and Zimbardo (2004), if adolescents live exclusively in the present they are undermined in their ability to cope with life circumstances, and so they are not likely satisfied with their live (Barcaccia, et al. 2013). Objective The present study examined the cross-sectional relations between three different time perspective (edonistic present, future, and positive past), hedonic balance, hope (agency and pathway) and life satisfaction in adolescence. Method Participants were 702 adolescents (50% males and 50% females) with a mean age of 19,7 years (SD = .78). The measures were all self-report scales and included: Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), PANAS (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988), The Hope Scale (Snyder, et al., 1991) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, et al., 1985). A structural equation modeling and mediational analyses were used. Results This study showed that the three different time perspectives marked three different pathway toward the life satisfaction in adolescence. Positive Past predicts directly the life satisfaction; Future predicts indirectly the life satisfaction; Edonistic Present predicts both directly and indirectly (through hedonic balance and hope) the life satisfaction. This model fit the data well, χ2(4) = 26.750, p<.01, CFI = .98, TLI = .91, RMSEA = .08 (.06, .12), SRMR = .03. Conclusions These results evidenced the well-known relationship between time perspective, hedonic balance, hope, and life satisfaction (Sailer, et al. 2014; Drake, et al. 2008; Zhang, Howell, and Stolarski, 2013); however them emphasize the important mediational role played by hope and affectivity on establishing the link between future time perspective and satisfaction with life.