Time perspective of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: The time perspective of individuals with chronic disease is a little-studied parameter. Our aim is to examine multiple sclerosis (MS) patients' time perspective and factors that may affect time perspective and to research the correlation of past, present, and future perspectives.

Methods: Demographic characteristics, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) score, and the expanded disability status scale score were recorded. Overall, 50 with MS were included in the study.

Results: We found that there was a significant difference between present-fatalistic (x=3.18), and present-hedonistic (x=3.49), (p=0.017); also between present-fatalistic (x=3.18), and future (x=3.57), (p=0.011). There was no significant difference in ZTPI scores between gender, place of residence, marital status, number of attacks, or education level.

Conclusion: MS patients focus mostly on the hedonistic dimension of the life than the fatalistic one in present time. We concluded that patients with MS focused mostly on the future. We found that our patients' present-fatalistic scores were lower, and the future was higher time perspective dimension.