Analysis of the temporal model of perceived control in response to an imagined traumatic event: investigation of the measurement model and the relationships among temporal orientations and individual characteristics

This thesis applied a theory of meaning-making developed in the context of traumatic or stressful life events, the Temporal Model of Perceived Control, to a new context - that of an imagined traumatic event. The TMPC proposes that meaning-making has a temporal dimension (it can focus on the past, present or future) and that this orientation is linked to psychological outcomes. The current study explored whether these orientations are pre-existing biases and the linkages they have to other psychological characteristics. The results demonstrated that present control was the most robust of the orientations, and that it had significant negative relationships with Ambivalent Attachment Type and Neuroticism, and significant positive relationships with Optimism and Male gender. These findings are applicable to clinical practice in supporting interventions that enhance a present control focus.