Connection between self-attitude components and personal time perspective profiles

Abstract

This research investigates the interrelation between subjective well-being components and time perspective. Self-attitude is taken into consideration as a central aspect of well-being. According to the aims of the study, participants completed the Ryff Subjective Well-being Scales, The Lyubomirsky Subjective Happiness Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and the Stolin Self-attitude Inventory. The sample included 93 university students, both men (43) and women (50) aged from 17 to 26 years old. Based on the correlational analysis, the association between subjective well-being aspects and time perspective is found: future-oriented people, who view their past in a positive way, have a higher level of self-respect, self-acceptance, selfunderstanding and self-guidance. Five time perspective profi les are discovered by cluster analysis: past negative-oriented (17,2%), future-oriented (24,7%), risk (18,3%), balanced (23,7%) and moderately present-oriented (16,1%). Subjective well-being and self-attitude scores are higher among participants, who achieved balanced time perspective and, therefore, have an authentic self-esteem. It’s important to mention that self-attitude scores are higher among the future-oriented sample. This fact can be explained the following way: this orientation serves a protective function, being based not on the real evidence, but just on hopes and expectations, taking into account the age of respondents.