Self-Control as a Personality Resource: Assessment and Associations with Performance, Persistence and Well-Being

Abstract

Self-control is one’s ability to control one’s own behavior and emotional expression, to react to external events in a deliberate manner, and to interrupt actions motivated by undesirable impulses or affects. We present two studies aimed to validate a Russian-language version of the 13-item Brief Self-Control Scale by J.P. Tangney, R.F. Baumeister and A.L. Boone in samples of employees (N=591) and students (N=328). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-dimensional structure. The scale shows high internal consistency (alpha 0,79-0,84) and predictable associations with self-report and objective indicators of current and future academic and work performance. Self-control is positively associated with positive functioning (i.e., intrinsic motivation, goal-setting, persistence, conscientiousness, hardiness, productive coping strategies, optimistic attributional style, self-efficacy), emotional stability, and subjective well-being. These associations hold when social desirability is controlled. The results suggest that self-control is an important personality and motivational resource which results in higher performance and psychological well-being.

The Multidimensional Self-Control Scale (MSCS): Development and validation.

“…Analyses indicated that the MSCS and BMSCS had good convergent and discriminant validity. Consistent with prior studies, self-control measured by the MSCS and the BMSCS showed convergence with Mental Toughness (Cowden, Fuller, & Anshel, 2014) and Hardiness (Gordeeva et al, 2016). The strong convergence between the MSCS and the SCS suggest that the MSCS is an adequate measure of self-control.…”

“…In accordance with prior research, we expected the new measurements to show positive relationships to hardiness (Gordeeva et al, 2016), self-efficacy (Baron, Mueller, & Wolfe, 2016), mental toughness (Gucciardi, Hanton, Gordon, Mallett, & Temby, 2015), and resilience (Chen & Taylor, 2013). Furthermore, we expected the new measurements to be positively related to homework habits (Duckworth et al, 2019), life satisfaction (Hofmann, Luhmann, Fisher, Vohs, & Baumeister, 2014), as well as criteria for physical performance and GPA (Tangney et al, 2004).…”

Psychological structure of personal resources of coping behavior of high school students

“…The study involved 70 respondents (16)(17) the index of organization, integrativity and differentiation of the structure (A.V. Karpov), the method of express-x 2 for comparing matrices and structograms on their «homogeneityheterogeneity» (A.V.…”

“…Bandura A. called this component «Belief in one's ability to organize and perform the actions necessary to produce desired accomplishments» and argued that pursuing meaningful goals and achieving them are important components of adaptive selfregulation and positively affect overall health and well-being [6]. In addition, several studies [15][16][17] have demonstrated the inhibitory role of academic self-efficacy, defined as the belief that people can successfully perform assigned academic tasks by being aware of E3S Web of Conferences 258, 07090 (2021) UESF-2021 https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202125807090 and adopting effective strategies related to academic commitment and in assessing the problems being solved [18].…”

How you choose is as important as what you choose: Subjective quality of choice predicts well-being and academic performance

“…Brief Self-Control Scale (Gordeeva et al, 2016(Gordeeva et al, , 2017Tangney, Baumeister, & Boone, 2004), a 13-item measure with a 5-point response scale. Self-control is the ability to refrain from following impulses and to delay gratification that is supposed to help individuals withstand the challenge of choice for a more extended period of time and to resist the temptation of early closure and external pressures, leading ultimately to better choices.…”