Psychological time matters in sport: Measuring athletes' temporal mindsets with the Sport Time Perspective Questionnaire – Short Form (STPQ-SF)

Athletes' tendencies to frame their experiences within specific time horizons can shape both psychological functioning and sport performance. Using data from three independent samples and applying an Ant Colony Optimization meta-heuristic, we developed the Short Form of the Sport Time Perspective Questionnaire (STPQ-SF) - a domain-specific measure of sport-related time perspectives. The instrument comprises 35 items across seven subscales: Past-Negative, Past-Positive, Present-Hedonistic, Present-Fatalistic, Present-Eudaimonic, Future-Positive, and Future-Negative. Its factor structure and subscale internal consistencies were established in a sample of 681 athletes and replicated in two further samples totaling 599 athletes. To evaluate validity, we examined the STPQ-SF's nomological network, focusing on sport-relevant constructs (performance, burnout, engagement) and individual differences (personality traits, perfectionism). Observed associations aligned with theoretical predictions, supporting the instrument's validity. The patterns linking time perspectives with psychological functioning offer empirical backing for key propositions of the conceptual model of time perspectives in sport. The STPQ-SF (in Polish: https://osf.io/2uqj4 and in English: https://osf.io/ckfse ) is publicly available for research purposes. • Developed and validated the Sport Time Perspective Questionnaire – Short Form (STPQ-SF) • Seven-factor structure confirmed in three independent samples ( N = 1280) • Demonstrated criterion validity with performance, burnout, engagement, and personality • Time perspective theory could potentially serve as a unifying framework in sport psychology. • STPQ-SF available in Polish and English for research purposes