TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety
JO  - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
A1  - Moffitt, Terrie E.
A1  - Arseneault, Louise
A1  - Belsky, Daniel
A1  - Dickson, Nigel
A1  - Hancox, Robert J.
A1  - Harrington, HonaLee
A1  - Houts, Renate M.
A1  - Poulton, Richie
A1  - Roberts, Brent W.
A1  - Ross, Stephen
A1  - Sears, Malcolm R.
A1  - Thomson, W. Murray
A1  - Caspi, Avshalom
SP  - 2693
EP  - 2698
VL  - 108
IS  - 7
N2  - Policy-makers are considering large-scale programs aimed at self-control to improve citizens' health and wealth and reduce crime. Experimental and economic studies suggest such programs could reap benefits. Yet, is self-control important for the health, wealth, and public safety of the population? Following a cohort of 1,000 children from birth to the age of 32 y, we show that childhood self-control predicts physical health, substance dependence, personal finances, and criminal offending outcomes, following a gradient of self-control. Effects of children's self-control could be disentangled from their intelligence and social class as well as from mistakes they made as adolescents. In another cohort of 500 sibling-pairs, the sibling with lower self-control had poorer outcomes, despite shared family background. Interventions addressing self-control might reduce a panoply of societal costs, save taxpayers money, and promote prosperity.<p /> <p>Language: en</p> 
LA  - en
SN  - 0027-8424
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1010076108
ID  - ref1
ER  -