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Cultural-Historical Psychology
2016. Vol. 12, no. 2, 46–58
doi:10.17759/chp.2016120205
ISSN: 1816-5435 / 2224-8935 (online)

Self-Control as a Personality Resource: Assessment and Associations with Performance, Persistence and Well-Being

6452

T.O. Gordeeva, E.N. Osin, D.D. Suchkov, T.Y. Ivanova, O.A. Sychev, V.V. Bobrov

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Abstract

Self-control is one’s ability to control one’s own behavior and emotional expression, to react to external events in a deliberate manner, and to interrupt actions motivated by undesirable impulses or affects. We present two studies aimed to validate a Russian-language version of the 13-item Brief Self-Control Scale by J.P. Tangney, R.F. Baumeister and A.L. Boone in samples of employees (N=591) and students (N=328). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-dimensional structure. The scale shows high internal consistency (alpha 0,79-0,84) and predictable associations with self-report and objective indicators of current and future academic and work performance. Self-control is positively associated with positive functioning (i.e., intrinsic motivation, goal-setting, persistence, conscientiousness, hardiness, productive coping strategies, optimistic attributional style, self-efficacy), emotional stability, and subjective well-being. These associations hold when social desirability is controlled. The results suggest that self-control is an important personality and motivational resource which results in higher performance and psychological well-being.

General Information

Keywords: self-control, self-regulation, personality resources, persistence, goal-setting, subjective well- being, academic success

Journal rubric: Empirical Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2016120205

For citation: Gordeeva T.O., Osin E.N., Suchkov D.D., Ivanova T.Y., Sychev O.A., Bobrov V.V. Self-Control as a Personality Resource: Assessment and Associations with Performance, Persistence and Well-Being. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-Historical Psychology, 2016. Vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 46–58. DOI: 10.17759/chp.2016120205. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Tamara O. Gordeeva, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychologiy, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leading Research Fellow, International Laboratory of Positive Psychology of Personality and Motivation, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3900-8678, e-mail: tamgordeeva@gmail.com

Evgeny N. Osin, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Deputy Head of the International Laboratory of Positive Psychology of Personality and Motivation, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3330-5647, e-mail: eosin@hse.ru

Dmitri D. Suchkov, Junior research fellow, International Laboratory of Positive Psychology of Personality and Motivation, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: Dsuchkov89@mail.ru

Tatyana Y. Ivanova, Research fellow, International Laboratory of Positive Psychology of Personality and Motivation, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: Tatiana.y.ivanova@gmail.com

Oleg A. Sychev, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Senior Researcher of Research Departament, Shukshin Altai State University for Humanities and Pedagogy, Biysk, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0373-6916, e-mail: osn1@mail.ru

Vladislav V. Bobrov, Junior research fellow, International Laboratory of Positive Psychology of Personality, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: VVbobrov@hse.ru

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