The Association Between School Discipline and Self-Control From Preschoolers to High School Students: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Self-control plays a significant role in child and adolescent development. The school environment is suggested as an important factor associated with individual differences in self-control. Among the many facets of school environment, school discipline is thought of as a critical factor that effectively develops students’ capacities for self-control. However, existing findings are mixed. To take stock of the literature, this meta-analysis summarizes the overall association between three school discipline components (i.e., structure, support, and teacher-student relationship) and self-control from preschoolers to high school students. Based on 68 studies reporting 278 effect sizes (N = 57,798), the results revealed that the overall effect size for the association between school discipline and self-control was small to medium (r =.190, p