This paper reviews the development of the sense of time up to early adulthood, from a psychoanalytic perspective. Data indicate that the sense of time as duration—time as it is felt—develops by early infancy, while time as perspective—time as a concept—develops by late infancy or early toddlerhood.

Investigators propose that the sense of time develops out of perception of bodily function and is intimately related to the development of the sense of self. The sense of time further evolves as a function of psychosexual and other developmental stages. Two clinical vignettes are used to illustrate how the psychoanalytic setting is ideally suited to the re-experience and understanding of difficulties with time.