Past, present, and future life satisfaction: The role of age, positive and negative mood

Abstract

Life satisfaction (LS) is one of the key elements of subjective wellbeing (SWB). The Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale (TSWLS; Pavot et al. 1998) measures LS including its temporal aspects, and provides scores for past, present, and future LS. The aim of this study was to replicate the three-factor structure found in previous studies in a Spanish-speaking general population, to analyze potential differences in temporal LS on different age groups and gender, and to explore the relationships between past, present, and future LS and the affective components of SWB (positive and negative mood). The sample consisted on 491 participants with an age range of 18 to 80 years old (M = 32.07, SD = 14.59). Confirmatory factor analysis, bivariate Pearson’s correlations, and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results confirmed the three-factor structure of the scale and its good psychometric properties. All participants showed higher levels of present LS than past LS, and older respondents presented higher levels of present LS than future LS. No gender differences were found, but younger respondents scored higher on future LS than older ones. Significant correlations were found between mood and temporal LS, and happiness emerged as a predictor of present LS, whereas positive affect was a predictor of past and future LS. Negative mood played a minor role as a predictor of temporal LS. These findings shed light on the patterns of past, present, and future LS in different age groups, and contribute to the knowledge about how mood and temporal LS are related.