The longitudinal relationship between future time perspective and life satisfaction among Chinese adolescents

Adolescents' attitudes toward the future and their ability to plan are linked with life satisfaction. However, whether there is a reciprocal longitudinal relation between future time perspective (FTP) and life satisfaction needs to be examined. Based on 5 waves of data from Chinese adolescents ( N = 479, M = 14.53 years old, SD = 1.77, 53.7 % females), we aimed to examine the developmental trajectories of and longitudinal association between FTP and life satisfaction using the latent growth curve model and cross-lagged panel model. Results found that FTP increased during adolescence and life satisfaction followed an inverted U-shape over time. And all cross-lagged effects of FTP on life satisfaction were positive and significant, demonstrating that more positive and less negative views about the future and the ability to plan contribute to adolescents' life satisfaction. Results also showed that life satisfaction at wave1/wave4 positively predicted subsequent FTP. But no cross-lagged effects of life satisfaction on FTP were found at wave2/wave3, indicating that life satisfaction promotes the initial development and outcome of FTP. Such findings contribute to understanding the temporal association between FTP and life satisfaction for adolescents. • Future time perspective increases during adolescence. • Adolescents' life satisfaction follows an inverted U-shape over time. • Future time perspective has a stable predictive effect on life satisfaction. • A constant state of life satisfaction contributes to future time perspective.