The relationship between time perspective and mental health in college students

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of university students' time perspectives' effects on mental health relationship. The research was incorporated with 300 college students, 49 women, 51 men, between 18-40 ages. Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory Short Form and The Brief Symptom Inventory were used to measure the relationship between time perspective and mental health. Students' demographic information was collected within Demographic Information Form that includes age, sex, birth order and many variables. SPSS 16 packaged software was used to analyze the obtained data. Pearson Momentum Correlation was used to test the correlations between variables. Multiple Linear Regression was also used to determine effects of time perspectives within psychological symptoms. Independent Sample T-Test was used to discriminate the variables in terms of sex. Results indicated that depression, somatization and anxiety were affected by present fatalistic, past positive and past negative, but present hedonistic and future had no effect. Interpersonal sensitivity (negative self) was affected by past positive and past negative time perspectives, but present fatalistic, present hedonistic and future had no effect. Hostility was affected by present fatalistic, present hedonistic, past positive and past negative, but future had no effect. There are no diffferences in time perspectives according to sex, but depression, anxiety and somatization were differentiated between sex variables that women's values are higher than men's values. Key Words: Time Perspective, Mental Health, Psychological Symptoms