The cumulative effects of developmental assets on self-control during adolescence: A short-term longitudinal study

Abstract

Self-control is an important ability functioning throughout life. But little research has investigated its influential factors. From the positive youth development perspective, the current study attempts to explore the relationship between developmental assets and self-control ability, including the possible cumulative effect, stability across time, relationship models, and gender differences. A sample of adolescents (N = 1023, 518 females, Mage = 13.18, SD = 0.88) from two senior high schools in China participated in the two-wave survey. They completed questionnaires regarding developmental assets and self-control twice. The findings revealed that developmental assets had a stable cumulative effect on self-control ability. In particular, the relationship showed a threshold model concurrently and a superposition model longitudinally. Moreover, the moderating role of gender was found significantly in the threshold model of developmental assets and self-control. These findings deepen previous studies by revealing the stability, relationship model, and gender differences in the cumulative effect between developmental assets and self-control. Practically, comprehensive measures should be taken to assist adolescents to obtain more developmental assets to improve their self-control ability.