Narrative episodic future thinking reduces delay discounting and enhances goal salience in the general population: an online feasibility study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Delay discounting is the tendency when people choose an immediate smaller reward over a delayed, larger reward in decision-making. Higher delay discounting is associated with maladaptive behaviours that can interfere with long-term goal pursuits, whilst low delay discounting is associated with better outcomes in health, academic, and social domains. Episodic Future Thinking is a promising strategy for decreasing delay discounting. Narrative Episodic Future Thinking (NEFT) has shown to be more effective than traditional Episodic Future Thinking. NEFT involves imagining life experiences in personal narratives, therefore imagining future events with a theme makes the events more meaningful, and better able to influence decision-making. This proof-of-concept study aimed to d

SUBMITTER: Boucher C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12272657 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature