Writing the Past, Present, and Future: The Impact of Positive Psychology Expressive Writing on Adolescents’ Time Attitudes

This study aimed to examine the interventional effects of positive psychology expressive writing (PPEW) on adolescents’ time attitudes and mental health. A total of 285 adolescents from Northwest China (M = 14.13, SD = 1.075; 53.3% female) were randomly assigned to either a PPEW group (n = 148) or a control group (n = 137). The PPEW group completed a six-week positive psychology expressive writing intervention, while the control group engaged in neutral writing tasks. All participants were assessed on time attitudes, positive affect, and depressive symptoms before and after the intervention. The results showed that, compared to the control group, the PPEW group scored significantly higher on Past Positive, Present Positive, and Future Positive, and significantly lower on Present Negative at post-test; however, a significant improvement in Past Negative was observed only within the PPEW group itself. Regarding mental health, depressive symptoms were significantly reduced in the PPEW group relative to the control group at post-test, but no significant change was observed in positive affect. In conclusion, positive psychology expressive writing can effectively foster the positive development of time attitudes in adolescents and may serve as a feasible approach to alleviating depressive symptoms.