Savoring promotes a balanced time perspective and subjective well-being among university students: Evidence from a cross-sectional study and an intervention study

Abstract

Savoring and balanced time perspective are two time-based constructs linked to subjective well-being (including life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect). However, their interaction and joint impact on subjective well-being remain underexplored. This study investigates the relationships among three variables across two studies. In Study 1 (N = 395), a cross-sectional design was employed to investigate both direct and indirect links between savoring, balanced time perspective, and subjective well-being, emphasizing the mediating role of balanced time perspective. The results revealed direct relationships between variables, with a balanced time perspective mediating the influence of savoring on life satisfaction and positive affect, but not on negative affect. Study 2 (N = 127) employed a 14-day savoring intervention to evaluate its effects on three variables. The intervention group showed significant improvements in savoring, balanced time perspective, life satisfaction, and positive affect, along with reductions in negative affect. Mediation analysis revealed that the savoring intervention indirectly enhanced life satisfaction through a balanced time perspective, while directly influencing positive and negative affect. These findings highlight the interconnected roles of savoring and balanced time perspective in enhancing subjective well-being, offering a temporal framework to better understand and improve subjective well-being.