Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Minimal attention has been devoted to examining the dimensionality of self-control. The present study tested a multidimensional model of self-control in which dimensions were based on the nature of the behavior required (i.e., persistence, initiation, cessation, or prevention). A total of 336 undergraduates completed measures of self-control and psychological well-being. Seventy-four of these participants completed behavioral self-control tasks representing the proposed subtypes. Participants’ GPAs were obtained from the Registrar. Stop self-control was inversely related to previously-validated measures of persistence (β = -.61, p = .010) and prevention (β = -.56, p = .040) self-control and demonstrated differential predictive ability of persistence and prevention compared to the other proposed subtypes. Initiation self-control was inversely related to life satisfaction (β = -.35, p = .012) and demonstrated differential predictive ability of life satisfaction compared to stop self-control. These results were interpreted with caution due to inadequate power and questionable validity of several of the behavioral self-control tasks. Both handgrip persistence (r = -.25, p = .033) and blinking prevention (r = -.29, p = .023) were associated with depression. These pairwise correlations were not significantly different from each other, suggesting that no conceptual distinction should be made between persistence and prevention self-control. Confirmatory factor analyses of self-report data revealed that items clustered based on domain rather than on type of behavior required for self-control exertion. Thus, the structure of self-control remains unclear. Limitations of the present study and implications for future research are discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:IUPUI/oai:scholarworks.iupui.edu:1805/3466 |
| Date | 23 August 2013 |
| Creators | Tunze, Chloe Ann |
| Contributors | Rand, Kevin L., Cyders, Melissa A., Rexroth, Daniel F., Stewart, Jesse C., Ashburn-Nardo, Leslie, Hazer, John |
| Source Sets | Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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