Can time heal anything? Exposure to traumatic events, autobiographical memory, and the quality of life among older adults. The role of time perspective.

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between autobiographical memory, exposure to traumatic events, and quality of life, and also whether temporal perspective represents a significant mediator of these relations, in a group of elderly people. Method. The study was conducted using a sample of 362 participants (Mage = 68.35, SD = 6.67; 65.5% women and 34.5% men). They completed the questionnaires for measuring quality of life, exposure to traumatic events, autobiographical memory, and time perspective. Results. The results indicated that direct exposure to major traumatic life events negatively predicted quality of life, while autobiographical memory was not a predictor for quality of life. Time perspective (i.e., negative past, negative future) partially mediated the relationship between exposure to traumatic life events and quality of life. At the same time, the temporal perspective mediated the relationship between autobiographical memory and quality of life. Discussion. How people manage their lives after exposure to traumatic events should be of particular interest to society as a whole and it is necessary to take into account various factors related to quality of life, especially in the case of elderly people. To improve quality of life, interventions can address the physical and psychological dimensions, as well as social interactions and the quality of the environment in which people live.