Abstract
Although low self-control is consistently related to adolescent offending, it is unknown whether self-report measures or laboratory behavior tasks yield better predictive utility, or if a combination yields incremental predictive power. This is particularly important because developmental theory indicates that self-control is related to adolescent offending and, consequently, risk assessments rely on self-control measures. The present study (a) examines relationships between self-reported self-control on the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory with Go/No-Go response inhibition, and (b) compares the predictive utility of both assessment strategies for short- and long-term adolescent reoffending. It uses longitudinal data from the Crossroads Study of male, first-time adolescent offenders ages 13–17 (N = 930; 46 % Hispanic/Latino, 37 % Black/African-American, 15 % non-Hispanic White, 2 % other race). The results of the study indicate that the measures are largely unrelated, and that the self-report measure is a better indicator of both short- and long-term reoffending. The laboratory task measure does not add value to what is already predicted by the self-report measure. Implications for assessing self-control during adolescence and consequences of assessment strategy are discussed.
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Acknowledgments
We are grateful to the many individuals responsible for the data collection and preparation. The Crossroads Study is supported by grants from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Author contributions
All authors contributed to development of study ideas, models, and hypotheses. A.F. conceived of the study, performed the statistical analysis, and drafted the manuscript; L.S. and P.F. participated in the design of the study and offered expert advice on adolescent development and self-control assessment; E.C. participated in the design of the study, helped to revise the manuscript, and offered expert advice on adolescents in the justice system context. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Fine, A., Steinberg, L., Frick, P.J. et al. Self-Control Assessments and Implications for Predicting Adolescent Offending. J Youth Adolescence 45, 701–712 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0425-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0425-2