Adolescents’s Balanced Time Perspective And Its Alleviating Effect On Depression

Adolescents are at a high risk of mental health problems,with depression being particularly prominent.Depression can have adverse effects on the physical and mental health and social functioning of adolescents,and can even lead to suicidal behavior when severe.In addition,adolescent depression is a risk factor for adult depression and other mental disorders.In order to reduce the negative impact of adolescent depression on their physical and mental development,alleviate the disease burden caused by depression on society,it is of great practical significance to prevent adolescent depression in a timely manner.Time perspective refers to an individual’s view or attitude towards the past,present and future.Balanced time perspective has adaptive functions and is considered the most ideal time perspective.Previous studies have shown that time perspective is closely related to individual’s mental health,and the more balanced an individual’s time perspective is,the lower their level of depression.Currently,the most widely used tool for measuring time perspective worldwide is the zimbardo time perspective inventory(ZTPI).The Chinese version of the zimbardo time perspective inventory(ZTPI-C)has shown good reliability and validity in adult use in China,but its applicability in Chinese adolescents remains to be tested.It is recognized that the more effective evaluation method of balanced time perspective is the deviation from the balanced time perspective,but the current research has not reached a unified conclusion on the optimal value of each dimension of balanced time perspective.Therefore,it is necessary to further confirm the optimal values of each dimension measured by ZTPI-C,especially in Chinese adolescents.This paper use the ZTPI-C to explore the balanced time perspective in adolescents,and test the effect of balanced time perspective intervention on adolescent depression by experimental manipulation.Specifically,it was carried out around three aspects: Study 1examined the reliability and validity of the ZTPI-C in adolescents using a questionnaire and explored the optimal values for each dimension of balance time perspective in adolescents.Based on convenience sampling,two independent samples were selected.Sample 1(N = 1225)was obtained through offline questionnaire survey,and participants were required to complete ZTPI-C and the center for epidemiological studies depression scale(CES-D)to test the reliability and validity of ZTPI-C in Chinese adolescents;Sample 2(N = 234)was obtained through online questionnaire survey,and participants were required to complete ZTPI-C,PHQ-9 and IWB to explore the optimal values of each dimension of balanced time perspective in Chinese adolescents.Study 2 used DBTP to operationally manipulate balanced time perspective based on Study 1 and tested its effect on depression in 134 participants.Study 3 further explored the alleviating effect of balanced time perspective intervention on depression and its duration based on Study 2.The following conclusions were drawn:(1)The Chinese version of Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory has acceptable reliability and validity in Chinese adolescents and can be used to measure their time perspectives.(2)The dimensions of adolescent time perspective are linearly related to depression and subjective well-being;that is,the higher an individual’s past positive/future orientation score is or the lower their past negative/present fatalistic/present hedonistic score is,the lower their level of depression and higher their subjective well-being.Therefore,the optimal values for each dimension of balanced time perspective in Chinese adolescents are: past positive = 5;future = 5;past negative = 1;present fatalistic = 1;present hedonistic = 1.(3)Balanced time perspective has a significant effect on adolescent depression.Compared with individuals with low balanced time perspectives,those with high balanced time perspectives are less likely to be depressed.(4)Balanced time perspective intervention can reduce deviation from the balanced time perspectiv in adolescents,thereby alleviating adolescent depression and improving subjective well-being.(5)The alleviating effect of balanced time perspective intervention on depression remains significant two weeks after intervention ends.