PNAS: Effects of self-control in childhood

January 7, 2020 // -- An international team of researchers has found a link between self-control in childhood and success later in life.
paper published in PNAS, the team describes decades of research into children's self-control and their relationship to outcomes later in life.
(Photo Source: Www.pixabay.com) In this unique study, researchers set out to learn more about the relationship between self-control and aging, especially if they wanted to know how children with self-control problems would be as they age (age 45).
to this end, they studied 1,037 children born in New Zealand between 1972 and 1973, aged between three and 11.
they assess their child's self-control by talking to parents, teachers, and children themselves.
children were rated based on traits such as impulsivity or how easily they were frustrated while working on the project.
revisited the 45-year-old decades later.
they were interviewed and tested in various ways to understand how their lives were going.
researchers found that the average age of children with high self-control was better than that of children who were identified as less self-control.
their brains show fewer signs of aging and are in better health.
also found that highly self-controlled groups did better financially and socially.
they also point out that there has been no change in IQ levels and social status in childhood - children with self-control performed worse on average than those who showed self-control in achieving standardized life goals.
suggest that focusing more on teaching children with self-control problems to improve their control skills may improve their quality of life.
() Source: Link found between self-control in childhood and success later in life Source: Leah S. Richmond-Rakerd et al. Childhood self-control forecasts the pace of midlife aging and preparedness for old age, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010211118