A systematic review of the impact of future-oriented thinking on academic outcomes

Abstract

Future-oriented thought is a broad construct that characterize the ability to generate mental representations of the future and project oneself into a variety of hypothetical states. It is well established that the degree to which one is focused more on the past, present, or future has a variety of implications on psychological functioning. This study focuses on the relationship between future-oriented thought and academic performance of students. To bridge this gap, we conducted the first systematic review investigating the benefit of future-oriented thought on promoting positive outcomes in academic settings. Our systematic review comprised 21 studies (k = 21). Results identified a clear relationship between future-oriented thought and positive outcomes in academic settings. Furthermore, our systematic review reveals important relationships between future-oriented thought and academic engagement, as well as future-oriented thought and academic performance. Our findings suggest that those who are more future-oriented demonstrate higher levels of academic engagement compared to those who were less future-oriented. Our findings suggest that probing and guiding students toward a future goal may increase their academic engagement and performance.

The Future Orientation of Italian Adolescents in Post-Pandemic Times: Associations with Self-Efficacy and Perceived Academic Achievement

“…This finding aligns with prior studies that have established positive associations between selfefficacy and academic achievement [69,70]. Moreover, the literature has consistently linked future orientation [53,58], and especially work and career future orientation [4,54,55], to academic achievement.…”

“…In addition, the positive correlation between work/career future orientation and academic achievement, even if modest, contributed to a predictive power of the former for the latter. The role of these two predictors is consistent with the studies that have demonstrated the crucial role of self-efficacy [71] and future orientation [58] in high school students' academic achievement.…”

“…Consequently, the degree of effort dedicated to academic responsibilities, as predicted by future orientation, correlates with improved academic performance [57]. In fact, a very recent systematic review revealed a clear relationship between future-oriented thought and positive outcomes in the academic setting [58].…”

The Relative Contribution of Psychological Empowerment, Academic Persistence, and Future Orientation in Predicting Academic Adjustment among Adolescents

“…Therefore, it is important to develop a positive future orientation in students because it has a positive impact on their success in their studies and their future. The study by Pawlak and Moustafa (2023) indicated that higher degrees of future orientation were associated with higher levels of involvement, attendance, and GPA. This implies that those with a future-focused orientation are probably going to perform well in educational environments.…”

Неакадемічний Студентський Досвід В Умовах Постмодернізму

“…Участь студентів у громадському житті закладу вищої освіти є дуже важливою. Студенти, залучені до діяльності університетських клубів і спільнот, є більш самостійними, ніж інші, і створюють міцнішу мережу соціальних стосунків, що сприяє їхній незалежності, прихильності університету й активному зануренню в освітній процес (Pawlak & Moustafa, 2023). Таким чином, це можна розглядати в контексті можливостей для студентів (Universities UK, 2016):…”