Predicting Class Membership in Early Self-Control Development: IQ, Race, and Sex

• In Event: Biosocial Criminology: Neuropsychology, Self-Control, and Antisocial Behavior

Abstract

​Low self-control has been established as an important predictor of many social problems, ranging from problems with school and employment to substance abuse and criminal involvement. However, questions remain regarding the development and the predictors of self-control in children. Using data from a non-representative sample of children from the Head Start Early Transition Demonstration Study, we examined the early developmental patterns and predictors of self-control using both parent-reported and teacher-reported self-control measures from kindergarten through the third grade. Latent class growth analyses were used to examine developmental trajectories in self-control. Latent class regression analyses were then employed to examine the extent to which IQ, race, and sex predict class membership in self-control. Results indicated links between these time-stable predictors in self-control and that the influence of these predictors varied by reporting source.

Authors

• Michelle Coyne, University of Cincinnati

• Mark Alden Morgan, University of Cincinnati