Measuring time perspective in adolescents: Can you get the right answer by asking the wrong questions?

The Italian Validation of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and Its Comparison with Three Time Perspective Inventories

The Zimbardo time perspective inventory (ZTPI) is the most well-known and widely used measure of time perspective. However, the assessment of the psychometric properties of the ZTPI reveals several problems, and various short versions have been proposed to overcome these problems. In a large Italian sample (N = 2295; 1326 women; age range 18-74 years), the present study aimed to test a short version of the ZTPI (ZTPI-16) defined by high frequency items (i.e., "good" items), reviewing the items composition of previous alternative short versions of the scale. Beyond the assessment of the factorial structure of this new short ZTPI, we compared the ZTPI-16 to the original ZTPI (ZTPI-56) and another already validated version of the ZTPI in the Italian context, such as Zimbardo's Stanford time perspective inventory (ZTPI-22), the short version of the ZTPI (ZTPI-30), and the ZTPI-36 proposed analyzing the data from 24 countries. The results confirmed the psychometric problems of the ZTPI-56, whereas the ZTPI-16 reported adequate structural validity and reliability. Moderate-to-strong correlations between same temporal subscales in different ZTPI versions were also found. These data suggest that the review of the "good" items is a new direction in the development of ZTPI versions with good psychometric properties and comparable data among cultures.

Time Buffers Teasing and Lessens Tobacco Use: The Moderating Role of Time Perspective on Bullying Victimization and Tobacco Use in Adolescents

Bullying victimization is a prevalent and harmful experience for adolescents and is positively associated with risky behaviors, including tobacco use. We investigated a potential moderator for the associations between bullying victimization and tobacco use, namely time perspective, which refers to thoughts about time. Bullied adolescents may focus on past events more than present or future events, which could lead to less adaptive coping mechanisms in response to stress, such as tobacco use. Multiple time perspective dimensions and time periods (past, present, and future) were examined. Time orientation refers to the relative emphasis placed on a time period. Time relation refers to the perceived relationship among the time periods. Bullying victimization and tobacco use were self-reported. Participants included 758 adolescents (M_age = 15.81, SD_age = 1.22; 54% female). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that bullying victimization was positively associated with tobacco use. Moderated regression analyses indicated that perceiving all time periods as important (time orientation) and interrelated (time relation) buffered the positive association between bullying victimization and tobacco use in adolescents. Analyses controlled for demographics, sensation seeking, and stress. Results suggest that future research should examine the viability of time perspective-based interventions for bullying victimization and tobacco use in adolescents.

Validation study of the Italian version of Temporal Focus Scale: psychometric properties and convergent validity

Background

Over the last decade, international research has produced a large number of studies that have stressed the importance of temporal focus in various aspects of the lives of individuals, groups and organizations. This first Italian validation study of the Temporal Focus Scale (TFS) has shown a reliable measurement to assess the tendency of individuals to characteristically think about different periods of their lives.

Methods

TFS/I was administered to a sample of 1458 participants, while three other convenience samples (N₁ = 453; N₂ = 544; N₃ = 168) were used for convergent validity testing.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a three-factor solution (including 10 items) with good indices of fit to data, e.g., χ² = 49.533, CFI = 0.992, TLI = 0.986, RMSEA = 0.034, RMSEA 90% CI .018–.048. Convergent validity assessment confirmed predictive indications with variables such as life satisfaction, optimistic/pessimistic orientation, perceived general self-efficacy, self-regulatory modes, anxiety, depression.

Conclusion

The temporal focus has proven to be a significant feature associated with various aspects of both well-being and personal discomfort. By virtue of its good psychometric properties, the TFS can be an integrative tool along with others for a better evaluation of the person’s profile in different contexts such as education, coaching, psychotherapy, counseling and career guidance.

Time Perspective Constructs in Albanian and Italian Adolescents: Exploratory Analyses

Time perspective is an important correlate of developmental outcomes in adolescence, and research has highlighted the importance of assessing the past, the present, and the future. However, there are few instruments that assess all three time periods. In the current study, we examined the responses of Italian and Albanian adolescents on the time frequency, time orientation, time relation, and time attitude subscales of the Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory. Participants consisted of two samples of adolescents-246 Italians and 312 Albanians-who completed translated versions of the Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory. Italian and Albanian adolescents had similar responses to time frequency and time attitudes but differed in time orientation and time relation. Additionally, psychometric evidence supported the internal consistency and structural validity of scores on five of the six time attitude subscales-Past Positive, Past Negative, Present Positive, Present Negative, and Future Positive-but provided less support for Future Negative subscale scores. Time attitude scores showed strong invariance across countries. Comparisons of time attitude mean scores in this study with time attitude means in samples from Germany, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, Turkey, and the United States revealed similarities and differences. Finally, time constructs did not have substantial associations with risky behaviors or seatbelt use. The findings suggest that the Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory can be used in cross-cultural research on time perspective and may help us understand adolescents in these contexts.

The Japanese Version of the Adolescent Time Inventory-Time Attitudes (ATI-TA) Scale: Internal Consistency, Structural Validity, and Convergent Validity

In this study, we translated the Adolescent Time Inventory-Time Attitudes (ATI-TA) scale into Japanese and examined the internal consistency and structural and convergent validity of ATI-TA scores in a sample of 383 Japanese high school students aged 15 to 18 years. The ATI-TA consists of six subscales assessing two valences (positive and negative) for each of three time periods (past, present, and future). Internal consistency estimates for scores on the ATI-TA were over .79. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a six-factor model yielded the best fit to scores. Correlations among ATI-TA scores, time attitudes assessed by the semantic differential method, educational career planning, and self-esteem were consistent with our hypotheses. Our results provide evidence that scores on the Japanese version of the ATI-TA are reliable and valid, and thus potentially useful for research in this cultural context.

Concurrent validity of Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory profiles: A secondary analysis of data from the United Kingdom

This paper examined the association between membership in profiles based on a shortened form of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI-S; McKay, Andretta, McGee, & Worrell, 2014) and other temporal and psychosocial variables. Participants consisted of 1620 adolescents attending high school in Northern Ireland. ZTPI-S scores had correlations with other temporal and psychosocial variables that were similar to those reported for ZTPI scores in previous studies. Four ZTPI-S profiles were identified-Balanced, Past Negative, Present Hedonistic, and Future-and results indicated that these profiles had theoretically meaningful relationships with self-esteem, self-efficacy, aggression, parental attachment, consideration of future consequences, and future temporal focus. Unlike studies of college students where the Balanced profile was related to more adaptive functioning, the Future profile was related to more adaptive functioning. Future studies are needed to establish the generalizability of these profiles and to determine if there are developmental differences in which profiles are more adaptive.