Self-control shows substantial rank-order stability in early adolescence, yet situational influences still matter¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associationalr3·q3
Currency · newest study 2013 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2018: baselines and conditions change
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i? One-year test-retest stability of composite self-control was r=0.59 (Study 2) and r=0.81 (Study 3), and r=0.70 across grades 4–6 in Study 1, yet life events still predicted change. → Duckworth 2013
Evidence¶
Duckworth 2013¶
Duckworth, A. L., Kim, B., and Tsukayama, E. (2013). Life stress impairs self-control in early adolescence. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00608
q3 · i? · associational · r3
Descriptive stability statistics from Study 2's summary correlations; Study 1 reported r=0.70 across grades 4 and 6 and Study 3 r=0.81. The article notes "despite substantial rank-order stability in self-control across development... situational influences can play an important role."
"the 1-year test-retest stability of self-control was r= 0.59, p < 0.001"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Negative life events predict rank-order decreases in self-control in early adolescents over time, controlling for baseline self-control and demographics — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
- The rank ordering of math and reading skills is highly stable over time, while four SEL domains are more strongly influenced by contextual factors — related
- The authors hypothesize a possible vicious cycle in which stress-induced self-control losses generate further stressful life events — related
- Perceived stress mediates the effect of negative life events on self-control decreases when measured at temporally separated occasions (Study 3) — related
- Learning patterns are moderately stable over months but changeable, and more stable in constant than in changing educational contexts — related
- Internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems show moderate to strong rank-order stability from grade 1 to grade 4 — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
self-control-rank-order-stability-with-situational-change |
title |
Self-control shows substantial rank-order stability in early adolescence, yet situational influences still matter |
description |
Self-control shows substantial rank-order stability in early adolescence, yet situational influences still matter |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2013 |
recheck_by |
2018 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-17 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — duckworth-2013 |
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