Abstract
The article discusses a three-wave longitudinal study that investigates the relationship between self-control and aggressive and delinquent behavior of early adolescent boys and girls. The sample consists of 1,012 Dutch adolescents (mean age = 12.3) in their first year of secondary education. Structural equation modeling analyses reveal that high levels of self-control consistently decrease aggressive and delinquent behavior in the subsequent 6 months follow-up intervals. Results for the total sample do not support the hypothesis that self-control is influenced by previous levels of aggression or delinquency. For boys, the partial evidence found indicates reciprocal effects of self-control and delinquency. © 2009 SAGE Publications.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 497-517 |
Journal | Journal of Early Adolescence |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |