Another way to measure balanced time perspective: Development and validation of the Time Perspective Inventory

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Existing balanced time perspective (BTP) scales have structural and calculation limitations.
• BTP is conceptualized as a positive outlook on past/future and mindful present living.

Purpose of the Study:

• Develop and validate the Time Perspective Inventory (TPI) for Chinese adults.
• Establish a simple calculation method for BTP scores.
• Assess the TPI's psychometric properties and predictive validity.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses established a 7-factor TPI structure.
• Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and criterion-related validity were assessed.
• Correlations with well-being and anxiety measures were examined, comparing TPI with Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory-Chinese (ZTPI-C).

Main Results:

• The TPI demonstrated good psychometric properties, including reliability and validity.
• A simple BTP score derived from TPI showed stronger correlations with well-being and anxiety than individual dimensions.
• TPI-based BTP explained more variance in life satisfaction, affect, and anxiety than deviation from BTP (DBTP) from ZTPI-C.

Conclusions:

• The TPI is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring BTP in Chinese adults.
• The proposed simple BTP score effectively represents an individual's temporal orientation.
• The TPI offers a more robust measure of BTP compared to existing instruments like ZTPI-C.