The Temporal Focus of Mind-Wandering and Chinese Adolescents’ Well-Being

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110571
Author(s):  
Tong Jiang ◽  
Jingling Tian ◽  
Yuzhuo Zhang ◽  
Xuhai Chen ◽  
Yangmei Luo
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mind Wandering ◽  
Chinese Adolescents ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Temporal Focus

The relationships between the temporal focus of mind-wandering (i.e., past-oriented and future-oriented mind-wandering) and well-being are important issues for adolescents, which may have significant implications on their well-being and self-identity development. However, few studies tested the temporal focus of mind-wandering and its emotional consequences in adolescents. In the present study, we conducted two studies using self-reported questionnaires from large sample sets to examine the relationships between the temporal focus of mind-wandering and hedonic (pleasure attainment) and eudaimonic (meaning pursuing) well-being among Chinese adolescents. Study 1 preliminarily tested the relationships between the temporal focus of mind-wandering and hedonic well-being among adolescents ( n = 1273) suggesting that both past-oriented mind-wandering (PMW) and future-oriented mind-wandering (FMW) were positively correlated with hedonic well-being. Study 2 used a new sample ( n = 986) and included another aspect of well-being (i.e., eudaimonic well-being), showing that PMW and FMW were both positively correlated with hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Moreover, self-reflection mediated the relationships between FMW and hedonic/eudaimonic well-being, whereas self-reflection did not act as a mediator in the relationships between PMW and well-being. The present findings indicated that both PMW and FMW are beneficial for Chinese adolescents’ well-being, and emphasized the mediating role of self-reflection in the relationships between FMW and well-being.

Thinking Through Secrets: Rethinking the Role of Thought Suppression in Secrecy

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 1411-1427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Slepian ◽  
Katharine H. Greenaway ◽  
E. J. Masicampo
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mind Wandering ◽  
Common View ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Temporal Focus ◽  
Ironic Process ◽  
The Relationship

Having secrets on the mind is associated with lower well-being, and a common view of secrets is that people work to suppress and avoid them—but might people actually want to think about their secrets? Four studies examining more than 11,000 real-world secrets found that the answer depends on the importance of the secret: People generally seek to engage with thoughts of significant secrets and seek to suppress thoughts of trivial secrets. Inconsistent with an ironic process account, adopting the strategy to suppress thoughts of a secret was not related to a tendency to think about the secret. Instead, adopting the strategy to engage with thoughts of a secret was related the tendency to think about the secret. Moreover, the temporal focus of one’s thoughts moderated the relationship between mind-wandering to the secret and well-being, with a focus on the past exacerbating a harmful link. These results suggest that people do not universally seek to suppress their secrets; they also seek to engage with them, although not always effectively.

Goal content, well-being, and psychological needs satisfaction in Chinese adolescents

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Li ◽  
Fei Feng
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Chinese Adolescents ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Intrinsic Goals ◽  
Needs Satisfaction ◽  
General Scale

We examined the mediating role of psychological needs satisfaction in the association between goal content and subjective well-being (SWB) in a Chinese cultural context. Chinese adolescents (N = 493) completed the Aspiration Index, the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, and the Index of Well-Being. The results suggested that SWB was positively correlated with intrinsic goals and psychological needs satisfaction, and intrinsic goals were positively correlated with psychological needs satisfaction. Mediation analysis revealed that psychological needs satisfaction partially mediated the association between intrinsic goals and SWB. These results imply that pursuit of intrinsic goals helps individuals meet their psychological needs, thus promoting SWB. Together, these results suggest that educators and parents can help Chinese adolescents enhance their SWB by encouraging them to form intrinsic life goals and satisfy their psychological needs.

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