It's time: A meta-analysis on the self-control-deviance link

By Alexander T. Vazsonyi, Jakub Mikuška, E. Kelley. 2017

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Abstract Purpose The current meta-analysis examines the link between self-control and measures of crime and deviance, taking stock of the empirical status of self-control theory and focusing on work published between 2000 and 2010. Methods A total of 796 studies were reviewed for inclusion/exclusion criteria and yielded a final study sample of 99 studies (88 cross-sectional and 19 longitudinal effect sizes, analyzed separately). Random effects mean correlations between self-control and deviance were analyzed for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, respectively. Publication bias was assessed using multiple methods. Results A random effects mean correlation between self-control and deviance was M r  = 0.415 for cross-sectional studies and M r  = 0.345 for longitudinal ones; this effect did not significantly differ by study design. Studies with more male participants, studies based on older or US-based populations, and self-report studies found weaker effects. Conclusions Substantial empirical support was found for the main argument of self-control theory and on the transdisciplinary link between self-control and measures of crime and deviance. In contrast to Pratt and Cullen, but consistent with theory, the effect from cross-sectional versus longitudinal studies did not significantly differ. There was no evidence of publication bias.

Subfields: Applied Psychology, Epidemiology, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/7bb0cc5be0481980d0b1645bcc98fef0e90eda46