A time for being thankful: Balanced time perspective and gratitude

Abstract

The aim of this report is twofold: 1) to demonstrate how grateful disposition is related to time perspectives in late adolescents and young people in the process of transition into early adulthood; 2) to verify whether age indeed moderates the relationship between the present-hedonistic dimension and gratitude, as well as future and gratitude in such a way that these relationships are stronger in high school students and undergraduates than in graduates. The results provide strong support for the hypothesis that gratitude is higher in the case of the past-positive, present-hedonistic, and future time perspectives. As regards the reverse correlations, deviation from a balanced time perspective is positively associated with gratitude GQ-6 and IPIP-VIA. This suggests that different types of focus on recalling the past, experiencing the present, and facing the future might predict a grateful disposition and gratitude. Moreover, age moderated the relationship between the present-hedonistic perspective and gratitude.