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Published on: August 12, 2016
Self-control and health outcomes in a nationally representative sample
Holly Ventura Miller1, J C Barnes, Kevin M Beaver
1Department of Criminal Justice, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78207, USA. Holly.Miller@utsa.edu
Objectives:
To explore the link between low self-control during adolescence and health problems in early adulthood.
Methods:
Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined the relationship between varying levels of self-control and the likelihood of being diagnosed with a variety of physical and brain-based health conditions.
Results:
Results from logistic regression analyses indicated that subjects with lower levels of self-control had significantly higher odds of being diagnosed with 9 of the 10 health outcomes.
Conclusions:
Targeting the development of self-control in childhood and adolescence may be valuable in preventing future health problems.
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