title: Self-Control Assessments and Implications for Predicting Adolescent Offending.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA. finea@uci.edu.|Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway 4222, UC Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA. finea@uci.edu.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7029-0731
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fine
authors.affiliation: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. lds@temple.edu.|King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. lds@temple.edu.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.affiliation: Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA. PFrick@lsu.edu.|Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australia. PFrick@lsu.edu.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.affiliation: University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA. cauffman@uci.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cauffman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D057566:Self Report; D000068356:Self-Control
keywords: Adolescent delinquency; Impulsivity; Self-control