Same dataset, different conclusions: Preschool delay of gratification predicts later behavioral outcomes in a preregistered study

One simple marshmallow test in preschool children predicts an array of important life outcomes, according to multiple studies spanning several decades. However, a recent conceptual replication casts doubt on these famous findings. We conducted an independent, preregistered secondary analysis to test whether previously observed longitudinal associations between preschool delay of gratification and adolescent outcomes would be conceptually replicated. Associations were significant for three of the five outcomes we tested using the analytic approach employed in the original studies of the marshmallow test. Relationships between delay of gratification and problem behavior held in bivariate, multivariate, and multilevel models; in contrast, no significant relationships between delay and problem behavior were found in the other recent replication, even though both studies used the same data set. These relationships were better explained by social support than by self-control, suggesting that the marshmallow test is predictive because it reflects aspects of a child’s early environment that are important over the long term. This novel interpretation of the classic findings points to new directions for intervention.

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Measuring socio-emotional skills in schools: simple questionnaires outperform behavioral tasks

10.31234/osf.io/w7pr6 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Melusine Boon-Falleur ◽

Adrien Bouguen ◽

Axelle Charpentier ◽

Yann Algan ◽

Elise Huillery ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Empirical Research ◽

Behavioral Outcomes ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Self Control ◽

Education Economics ◽

Life Outcomes ◽

Behavioral Task ◽

Emotional Skills

Recent empirical research has shown that improving socio-emotional skills such as grit, conscientiousness and self-control leads to higher academic achievement and better life outcomes. However, both theoretical and empirical works have raised concerns about the reliability of the different methods used to measure socio-emotional skills. We compared the reliability and validity of the three leading measurements methods - a student-reported questionnaire, a teacher-reported questionnaire, and a behavioral task - in a sample of 3,997 French students. Before analyzing the data, we polled 114 experts in cognitive development and education economics; most experts in both fields predicted that the behavioral task would be the best method. We found instead that the teacher questionnaire was more predictive of students' behavioral outcomes and of their grade progression, while the behavioral task was the least predictive. This work suggests that researchers may not be using optimal tools to measure socio-emotional skills in children.

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Simple questionnaires outperform behavioral tasks to measure socio-emotional skills in students

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-04046-5 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mélusine Boon-Falleur ◽

Adrien Bouguen ◽

Axelle Charpentier ◽

Yann Algan ◽

Élise Huillery ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Empirical Research ◽

Behavioral Outcomes ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Self Control ◽

Education Economics ◽

Life Outcomes ◽

Behavioral Task ◽

Emotional Skills

AbstractRecent empirical research has shown that improving socio-emotional skills such as grit, conscientiousness and self-control leads to higher academic achievement and better life outcomes. However, both theoretical and empirical works have raised concerns about the reliability of the different methods used to measure socio-emotional skills. We compared the reliability and validity of the three leading measurements methods—a student-reported questionnaire, a teacher-reported questionnaire, and a behavioral task—in a sample of 3997 French students. Before analyzing the data, we polled 114 international researchers in cognitive development and education economics; most researchers in both fields predicted that the behavioral task would be the best method. We found instead that the teacher questionnaire was more predictive of students’ behavioral outcomes and of their grade progression, while the behavioral task was the least predictive. This work suggests that researchers may not be using optimal tools to measure socio-emotional skills in children.

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Inhibition tasks are not associated with self-regulation outcomes in healthy college students

10.31234/osf.io/uwbdg ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Curtis David Von Gunten ◽

Bruce D Bartholow ◽

Jorge S. Martins

Keyword(s):

Latent Variable ◽

Convergent Validity ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Poor Performance ◽

Self Control ◽

Self Report ◽

Life Outcomes ◽

Variable Level ◽

Cast Doubt ◽

The Individual

Executive functioning (EF) is defined as a set of top-down processes used in reasoning, forming goals, planning, concentrating, and inhibition. It is widely believed that these processes are critical to self-regulation and, therefore, that performance on behavioral task measures of EF should be associated with individual differences in everyday life outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to test this core assumption, focusing on the EF facet of inhibition. A sample of 463 undergraduates completed five laboratory inhibition tasks, along with three self-report measures of self-control and 28 self-report measures of life outcomes. Results showed that although most of the life outcome measures were associated with self-reported self-control, none of the life outcomes were associated with inhibition task performance at the latent-variable level, and few associations were found at the individual task level. These findings challenge the criterion validity of lab-based inhibition tasks. More generally, when considered alongside the known lack of convergent validity between inhibition tasks and self-report measures of self-control, the findings cast doubt on the task’s construct validity as measures of self-control processes. Potential methodological and theoretical reasons for the poor performance of laboratory-based inhibition tasks are discussed.

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Early Adverse Childhood Experiences and Self-Control Development among Youth in Fragile Families

Youth & Society ◽

10.1177/0044118x21996378 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0044118X2199637

Author(s):

Melissa S. Jones ◽

Hayley Pierce ◽

Constance L. Chapple

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Behavioral Outcomes ◽

Self Control ◽

Fragile Families ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Considerable Research ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Using Data

Though considerable research links both a lack of self-control and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to a variety of negative health and behavioral outcomes, few studies to date have explored whether ACEs are associated with deficits in self-control. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCW; n = 3,444) and a life course theoretical framework, this study aims to address this gap in the literature by examining the relationships between individual ACEs, cumulative ACEs, timing of ACEs, and durations of early ACEs and self-control development among youth. Our results indicate that as the number of ACEs (by age 5) experienced incrementally increases, the likelihood of reported self-control decreases. Moreover, when it comes to the timing and duration of ACE exposure, ACEs that are high but late, intermittent, or chronically high significantly decrease self-control. Based on our findings, researchers should continue to explore the role of ACEs in youth self-control development.

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Parental incarceration affects children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes: A longitudinal cohort study of children aged 9 to 13 years

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1177/0165025421995918 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 016502542199591

Author(s):

Daragh Bradshaw ◽

Ann-Marie Creaven ◽

Orla T. Muldoon

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Relationship Quality ◽

Child Outcomes ◽

Behavioral Outcomes ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Parental Incarceration ◽

Child Relationship ◽

Children And Parents ◽

The Impact

Parental incarceration (PI) is negatively associated with emotional, educational, and psychological child outcomes. However, few studies explore potential mechanisms through which these outcomes are transmitted or the means by which prosocial outcomes might develop. This study used data from two waves of a population cohort study of children aged 9 years and followed up aged 13 years living in Ireland. Children and parents ( N = 8,568) completed measures of PI, primary caregiver (PCG) depression, PCG-child relationship quality, and child behavioral adjustment. We then conducted a secondary analysis on this national longitudinal study of children in Ireland. Using sequential mediation models, we observed a mediated indirect effect of PI on prosocial outcomes via PCG depression and PCG-child relationship quality. PI at age 9 was associated with increased difficulties and reduced prosocial behavior at age 13. Additionally, PI at age 9 affected PCG depression and the PCG-child relationship quality. Additionally, child prosocial outcomes, and emotional and behavioral difficulties were less apparent where PI had a weaker effect on PCG depression and the quality of PCG-child relationship. Supports that can mitigate the impact of PI for vulnerable caregivers and children are discussed.

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The Psychological and Financial Impact of Cybercrime Victimization: A Novel Application of the Shattered Assumptions Theory

Social Science Computer Review ◽

10.1177/0894439320983828 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089443932098382

Author(s):

Jildau Borwell ◽

Jurjen Jansen ◽

Wouter Stol

Keyword(s):

Negative Impact ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Financial Impact ◽

Financial Loss ◽

Data Set ◽

Loss Compensation ◽

Shattered Assumptions ◽

The Impact

While criminality is digitizing, a theory-based understanding of the impact of cybercrime on victims is lacking. Therefore, this study addresses the psychological and financial impact of cybercrime on victims, applying the shattered assumptions theory (SAT) to predict that impact. A secondary analysis was performed on a representative data set of Dutch citizens ( N = 33,702), exploring the psychological and financial impact for different groups of cybercrime victims. The results showed a higher negative impact on emotional well-being for victims of person-centered cybercrime, victims for whom the offender was an acquaintance, and victims whose financial loss was not compensated and a lower negative impact on emotional well-being for victims with a higher income. The study led to novel scientific insights and showed the applicability of the SAT for developing hypotheses about cybercrime victimization impact. In this study, most hypotheses had to be rejected, leading to the conclusion that more work has to be done to test the applicability of the SAT in the field of cybercrime. Furthermore, policy implications were identified considering the prioritization of and approach to specific cybercrimes, treatment of victims, and financial loss compensation.

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The Impact of Teachers Unions on Teachers’ Well-Being Under Various Legal Institutions: Evidence From District–Teacher Matched Data

AERA Open ◽

10.1177/2332858419867291 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 233285841986729 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eunice S. Han

Keyword(s):

Multilevel Models ◽

Causal Effect ◽

Well Being ◽

Legal Environment ◽

Legal Institutions ◽

Data Set ◽

Teachers Unions ◽

The Difference ◽

Matched Data ◽

The Impact

This article examines how teachers unions affect teachers’ well-being under various legal institutions. Using a district–teacher matched data set, this study identifies the union effects by three approaches. First, I contrast teacher outcomes across different state laws toward unions. Second, I compare the union–nonunion differentials within the same legal environment, using multilevel models and propensity score matching. Finally, unexpected legal changes restricting the collective bargaining of teachers in four states form a natural experiment, allowing me to use the difference-in-difference estimation to identify the causal effect of weakening unionism on teacher outcomes. I find that (a) many teachers join unions even when bargaining is rarely or never available, and meet-and-confer or union membership rate affects teachers’ lives in the absence of a bargaining contract; (b) how unions influence teacher outcomes vary greatly by different legal environment; and (c) the changes in public policy limiting teachers’ bargaining rights significantly decrease teacher compensation.

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Self-control depletion in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.): does delay of gratification rely on a limited resource?

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01193 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Francesca De Petrillo ◽

Antonia Micucci ◽

Emanuele Gori ◽

Valentina Truppa ◽

Dan Ariely ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Limited Resource ◽

Delay Of Gratification ◽

Self Control ◽

Capuchin Monkeys ◽

Tufted Capuchin Monkeys

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Serving up mealtime strategies : how families experience dementia in the community

10.32920/ryerson.14653482.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Abigail Wickson

Keyword(s):

Sense Of Self ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Spousal Caregivers ◽

Data Set ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Adult Caregivers ◽

Late Stages ◽

Existing Data

The mealtime experiences for people with dementia and their caregivers living in the community has not been extensively explored. An existing data set provided information on the mealtime strategies used to cope with changing dementia behaviours. A secondary analysis of data from 10 dyads of people with dementia and their caregivers were analyzed. Four categories were identified including: Strategies to facilitate eating; Strategies to promote a sense of self; Stategies to minimize risk; and Strategies to promote caregiver well-being. The dyads used a variety of strategies that were common to all stages of dementia; however by the late stages, the dyads used more specific strategies. In general, the mealtime strategies used by adult caregivers and spousal caregivers did not greatly differ but rather the context in which they engaged in mealtimes did. The results demonstrated that there are opportunities to educate families and professionals about potential mealtime strategies.

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