Measurement of self-control by self-report

Abstract

This chapter describes the measures in a comprehensive framework of self-control measurement that highlights the key features of particular self-report measures and measurement strategies and draws attention to their appropriateness for different types of research involving self-control. When the research questions that motivate a study of health and well-being implicate self-control, a key consideration is how best to assess self-control given the outcomes of interest, the research design, and the general approach to data collection. A majority of the research to date on self-control has made use of measures designed to capture stable differences between people. An assumption that is rarely made explicit or justified when using such measures is that a person’s capacity for self-control does not vary across situations or time. Whether a trait or state approach to measuring self-control is used, the focus of measurement can be general or specific.