The Structural Modeling of the Health‐Oriented Behavior based on Psychological Capital among Students of Tehran: Time Horizon as a Mediator

Background: Time horizon, when considered as the basis for future planning and goals, can play a crucial role in determining people’s behavior. Such an understanding and vision of time guides our goals and motivations toward behavior and action. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the structural pattern of health-oriented behaviors based on psychological capital among students with a consideration of the mediating role of time horizon. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional and correlational study. For this purpose, 275 students (male and female) were selected using random sampling in the academic year of 2019-2020 in Tehran, Iran. Data analysis was performed using the structural equation modeling method. SPSS software version 25 and Lisrel 8.85 were used to analyze the research data. Results: Results showed that the direct paths of the psychological capital to healthy behavior variable were significant (β = 0.343, t = 3.953) and also, direct paths of the psychological capital to time horizon variable were significant (β = 0.576, t = 6.533). It was also manifested that direct paths of the time horizon to healthy behavior variable were significant (β = 0.399, t= 4.458). Moreover, the Bootstrap method determined the significant indirect effect of the latent variable of psychological capital on the healthy behavior through time horizon (β = 0.230, P <0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of this analysis, the relationship between psychological capital and the variable of healthy behavior as well as that of the variable of psychological capital and the time horizon were significant. In addition, the findings showed that the healthy behavior measure was significantly affected by the time horizon.