THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FREQUENCY OF FUTURE SELF-THOUGHTS ON MENTAL HEALTH: THE MODERATING ROLE OF CLARITY OF FUTURE SELF-THOUGHTS

Abstract

Future-oriented thoughts can be adaptive or maladaptive to one’s mental health depending on the type of self-construal that is salient. Although individual differences in the frequency of future-self-related thoughts are recognised and associated with different mental health outcomes, less is known about the moderating effects of the clarity of these thoughts on this relationship. This study used standard (direct) multiple regression analyses to examine the potential moderating role of clarity on the relationship between frequency and mental health among an online student sample. The study found future clarity moderated the effect of future frequency on the mental health measure of anxiety but not depression or stress. Further research in this area may assist the development of new cognitive treatments for mental health.