Low Self-Control and Attention-Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder

• In Event: New Directions in Research on Self-Control Theory

Abstract

Behavioral characteristics which comprise diagnoses of Attention-Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder (ADHD) such as impulsivity, short-sightedness, and preference for physical activities over mental activities as derived from studies found in the psychology literature appear to be very similar to the characteristics defining low self control (LSC) from studies found in the criminology literature. Yet little research exists that examines whether or not these two separate concepts are indeed statistically similar or how these two concepts interact when explaining crime/deviance. Utilizing the Grasmick et al. (1993) self-report scale of low self-control, the World Health Organization’s Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Symptom Checklist, and self-reported crime and delinquency, this paper addresses questions regarding whether or not ADHD and LSC are statistically similar and if they have similar effects on crime/deviance.

Authors

• Andrea Schoepfer, California State University, San Bernardino

• John David Reitzel, California State University, San Bernardino