Testing the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory in the Chinese context

Area of Science:

• Psychological Assessment
• Cross-Cultural Psychology
• Personality Psychology

Background:

• Time perspective significantly influences behavior and decision-making.
• The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) is a widely used measure.
• Validation of the ZTPI in diverse cultural contexts is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI).
• To establish the reliability and validity of the 20-item short version of the ZTPI in a Chinese sample.

Main Methods:

• Administered the Chinese ZTPI to 303 university students.
• Conducted test-retest reliability with a subsample of 51 participants.
• Assessed construct validity through correlations with emotion regulation strategies.

Main Results:

• The 20-item Chinese ZTPI demonstrated good model fit, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability.
• Validity was supported by expected correlations: Past-Positive with reappraisal (positive) and suppression (negative); Present-Hedonistic with reappraisal (positive).

Conclusions:

• The 20-item Chinese version of the ZTPI is a psychometrically sound instrument.
• This validated ZTPI is suitable for measuring time perspective in Chinese populations.
• Findings support the cross-cultural applicability of the ZTPI framework.