Several studies provide evidence of the importance of future time perspective (FTP) for individual success. However, little research addresses the relationship between FTP and personality traits, particularly if FTP can mediate their influence on behavior. In this study we analyze the mediating of FTP in the influence of personality traits on the way adolescents live their life at school. Sample consisted in 351 students, aged from 14 to 18 years-old, at different schooling levels. Instruments were the Portuguese version of the MMPI-A, particularly the PSY-5 dimensions (Aggressiveness, Psychoticism, Disconstraint, Neuroticism, Introversion), a FTP questionnaire, and a survey on school life, involving several indicators of achievement, social integration, and overall satisfaction. With the exception of Neuroticism, the results show significant mediation effects (p < .001) of FTP on most relationships between PSY-5 dimensions and school life variables. Concerning Disconstraint, FTP mediated its influence on overall satisfaction (β = –.125) and school achievement (β = –.106). In the case of Introversion, significant mediation effects occurred for interpersonal difficulties (β = .099) and participation in extracurricular activities (β = –.085). FTP was also a mediator of Psychoticism influence in overall satisfaction (β = –.094), interpersonal difficulties (β = .057), and behavior problems (β = .037). Finally, FTP mediated the influence of Aggressiveness on overall satisfaction (β = –.061), interpersonal difficulties (β = .040), achievement (β = –.052), and behavior problems (β = .023). Results are discussed considering the importance of FTP in the impact of some personality structural characteristics in students’ school adaptation.

This study looks at the recent development (1998–2009) in the number of years of schooling that a 6-year old can expect to attend until their 30th birthday for the EU-27 countries. All countries have seen an increase in the number of expected years of schooling, which is driven mainly by increased tertiary enrolment rates. At the same time the education gap vis-à-vis the US has been closed. The dispersion of expected length of education among EU countries has also decreased. Thus, by this measure, education among countries has become more equal. In spite of this progress, some countries will find it difficult to meet their national targets for tertiary educational attainments for 30–34 year-olds in 2020. This is largely because the tertiary education participation rates of young males have been falling behind those of females in many countries. Focussing on the tertiary educational attainments of 30–34 year-olds leaves governments with little time to pursue policies with substantial impact. It would be preferable to supplement the educational attainment target for 30–34 year-olds with an enrolment target for 20–24 year-olds.

This study aimed to identify the influence of illness cognition and background factors on the sense of coherence among junior high school and high school students with congenital cardiac disease. We conducted an examination using the illness cognition scale and sense-of-coherence scale, and verified the reliability and validity of both. Participants were 172 students with congenital cardiac disease and 295 healthy students, who were 12–18 years old. The relationship among sense of coherence, basic and disease-related attributes, and illness cognition in healthy adolescents and those with congenital cardiac disease was investigated. Sense of coherence was higher in boys than in girls and higher in junior high students than in high school students. Adolescents with congenital cardiac disease scored higher for sense of coherence than healthy students. Those who scored lower on the illness cognition scale for “hardships resulting from restrictions and limitations for illness”, “the desire to be understood by others”, “anxieties about the state of the disease and possibility of death”, or “not wanting people to know of one’s disease” showed higher sense of coherence than those who had higher scores for these elements.