Psychometric Properties of the Future Time Perspective Scale for the Turkish Population: Age Differences in Predictors of Time Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Future Time Perspective Scale (FTPS-T) and examine age-group differences in the predictors of respondents’ future time perspective. Data were collected from a sample of 202 young adults (aged 18–28 years) and 127 community-dwelling older adults (aged 60–86 years). The internal consistency and test–retest methods were employed to assess the reliability of the FTPS-T, and the FTPS-T’s validity was assessed using construct- and criterion-related validity. The reliability and validity analyses demonstrated that the FTPS-T had satisfactory psychometric properties. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the strongest predictor of future time perspective in young adults was subjective psychological health, whereas chronological and subjective (i.e., physical) ages were stronger predictors among older adults. These findings indicate that subjective variables shape the perceptions of a lifetime, and the results are discussed in the context of socioemotional selectivity theory.