Temporal focus clusters differ meaningfully in terms of anxiety and depressive symptomatology

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between temporal focus profiles and scores on psychiatric symptomatology. Participants were recruited by undergraduate students in a university in the United Kingdom (N = 372; 46% male). Five clusters emerged from hierarchical cluster analysis and were labelled, No Focus, Multi Focus, Past Focus, Future Focus, and Current Focus. The worst outcomes in terms of psychiatric symptomatology were observed for those belonging to the Past Focus cluster. These results build on the only previous study using cluster analysis of Temporal Focus Scale scores, where being past focussed was associated with lower self-esteem in adolescents.