Appreciation of Remaining Time Scale

Abstract

The Appreciation of Remaining Time (ART) Scale, developed by Carstensen, Chu, Matteson, and Growney (2024), is a concise psychometric instrument designed to operationalize core tenets of Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST). SST posits that perceived time constraints motivate individuals, particularly older adults, to prioritize emotionally meaningful goals and experiences. The ART Scale was refined from an initial pool of 27 items down to a four-item, single-factor structure, which specifically measures the degree to which an individual values and appreciates their remaining future time.

The scale is administered to both younger and older adults to assess the changing value of time across the lifespan. Results concerning its psychometric properties indicate strong reliability and validity, confirming its ability to capture distinct motivational shifts associated with time horizons.

Keywords

Aging, Emotional Well-Being, Motivation, Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, Time Horizons, Time Perception, Life Satisfaction, Happiness, Psychometric Scale.

Authors

Carstensen, Laura L., Chu, Li, Matteson, Tyler J., Growney, Claire M.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ART Scale is to assess the changing value and appreciation that individuals place on their remaining time, based directly on the principles of Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST). It aims to quantify the subjective experience of time horizons, which theoretically drives shifts in motivational and social goal prioritization throughout the adult lifespan.

The instrument provides a concise and reliable measure of this appreciation, enabling researchers to study how awareness of limited time influences psychological processes, goal orientation, and emotional regulation strategies.

Construct

The psychological construct measured is the Appreciation of Remaining Time. This construct reflects a cognitive and emotional assessment of one’s limited future time, specifically focusing on the positive valuation and savoring of the time one perceives as remaining. It operates as a motivational antecedent for goal selection, distinguishing itself from measures that focus purely on the perception of time scarcity or futurity by emphasizing the subjective value placed on the finite nature of time.

Validity

The ART Scale demonstrates strong evidence of validity, supported by both predictive and convergent analyses. Regarding predictive validity, higher scores on the ART scale are significantly associated with positive psychological outcomes, including increased emotional well-being, enhanced life satisfaction, and greater subjective happiness. Conversely, the scale exhibits an inverse relationship with measures of depressive symptoms.

Furthermore, convergent validity was established through correlation with established measures, such as the Future Time Perspective scale. However, the ART scale was found to capture distinct, unique aspects of time orientation, confirming that it measures the appreciation of time rather than merely the extension or limitation of future time perception.

Reliability

The reliability of the ART Scale was assessed, focusing on its stability over time. Test-Retest Reliability was confirmed using the Interclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), which yielded a value of .78. This result indicates good temporal stability, suggesting that the measure consistently captures the construct when administered to the same individuals across different time points.

Factor Analysis

The development of the ART Scale involved rigorous statistical analysis to confirm its underlying structure. Initial screening reduced a large pool of items to the final four-item set. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) conducted on this final set confirmed a clear and parsimonious single-factor structure, supporting the unidimensionality of the Appreciation of Remaining Time construct.

This structure was subsequently validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The CFA results reported satisfactory model fit indices, lending strong psychometric support to the instrument’s intended measurement of a single underlying factor.

Instrument

Test Type: Rating Scale

Format: Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Very Untrue) to 7 (Very True).

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female (Adults)

Age Group: Adults (Age Range: 18–97)

Population Details: Respondents were adults located in the United States, spanning a wide age range to capture variation in time perspectives.

Test Methodology: The development and validation relied on advanced psychometric methods, including Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Predictive Validity, Test Reliability, Test-Retest Reliability, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling.

Keywords

Aging, Emotional Well-Being, Motivation, Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST), Time Horizons, Psychometrics, Life Satisfaction, Happiness, Time Orientation.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Carstensen, Laura L.: ORCID
• Chu, Li: ORCID
• Matteson, Tyler J.: ORCID
• Growney, Claire M.: ORCID

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Carstensen, Laura L.: Stanford University, Department of Psychology, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Building 420, Stanford, California, United States, 94305.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Commercial Use: No

Fee Required: No

Test Year: 2024

Reference’s

Carstensen, L. L., Chu, L., Matteson, T. J., & Growney, C. M. (2024). What’s time got to do with it? Appreciation of time influences social goals and emotional well-being. Psychology and Aging, 39(8), 833–853. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000856

Items of the Appreciation of Remaining Time Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Appreciation of Remaining Time Scale

Instructions

Read each item and answer the questions: “How true is this of you?”

Select the appropriate number on the scale, where 1 means the statement is very untrue of you and 7 means that the statement is very true of you.

Items and Scoring

Item	Scale
1. Knowing that our years are limited makes time feel precious.	1 (Very Untrue) – 7 (Very True)
2. I savor the good times and know the bad times pass.	1 (Very Untrue) – 7 (Very True)
3. At this point in my life, I do not waste time on trivial matters.	1 (Very Untrue) – 7 (Very True)
4. I value time more as the years go by.	1 (Very Untrue) – 7 (Very True)

Scoring Instructions

Compute the average score of the scale. Higher scores mean greater tendencies to appreciate remaining time.