A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety
Duke University · King's College London · +3 more institutions
Abstract
Policy-makers are considering large-scale programs aimed at self-control to improve citizens' health and wealth and reduce crime. Experimental and economic studies suggest such programs could reap benefits. Yet, is self-control important for the health, wealth, and public safety of the population? Following a cohort of 1,000 children from birth to the age of 32 y, we show that childhood self-control predicts physical health, substance dependence, personal finances, and criminal offending outcomes, following a gradient of self-control. Effects of children's self-control could be disentangled from their intelligence and social class as well as from mistakes they made as adolescents. In another cohort of 500…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 168.60
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 74
Authors
13Topics & keywords
- Sibling
- Prosperity
- Self-control
- Cohort
- Public health
- Control (management)
- Psychological intervention
- Scale (ratio)
- No poverty