The many measurements of self-control: How re-operationalized self-control compares

Abstract

Since Gottfredson and Hirschi’s A General Theory of Crime was published in 1990, self-control has become a major focus in criminological theory and research and the issue of measuring self-control has been the topic of many debates. Much of this research has used Grasmick and colleagues’ 1993 attitudinal scale. In 2004, Hirschi provided a new definition for self-control designed to spur new measurements of the concept. Despite this effort, only Piquero and Bouffard (2007) have provided an in-depth attempt to measure the redefined concept. This study replicates the Piquero and Bouffard measurement and a traditional measure of self-control in order to compare their effectiveness in predicting criminal or deviant behaviours. The data used come from a random sample of undergraduate students. Results indicate that the strength of the relationship between self-control and crime/deviance varies significantly based on the way self-control is measured.