Living in the past? time perspective and spirituality as predictors of successful rehabilitation in problem drinkers

Time perspective (TP) refers to an individual’s way of relating to the past, present and future. Although there is evidence that TP is a valid predictor of negative health–related behaviours, little is known about its role in rehabilitation. This study examined relationships between TP orientations and three indices of rehabilitation (length of abstinence, compulsive desire to drink alcohol, and anxiety) in a sample of 101 recovering alcoholics (52 per cent male) attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The role of spirituality in predicting rehabilitation outcomes was also examined. Findings revealed that past negative, present hedonistic and present fatalistic oriented TPs were associated with poorer rehabilitation outcomes, whereas past positive TP was related to better outcomes. Spirituality related to specific TP dimensions and appeared to be a protective factor in the successful management of problem drinking. How the findings of this study might inform the development of interventions to aid rehabilitation in problem drinkers is discussed.