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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
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Measuring Delay Discounting in Humans Using an Adjusting Amount Task
Published on: January 9, 2016
Development and validation of the Delaying Gratification Inventory
Michael Hoerger1, Stuart W Quirk, Nathan C Weed
1University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. hoerger.urmc@gmail.com
Psychological Assessment
|April 13, 2011
Summary
Developing the Delaying Gratification Inventory (DGI) addresses measurement issues in understanding delayed gratification. This new 35-item measure offers reliable and valid assessment across five key domains, aiding public health research.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Deficits in delaying gratification are linked to significant public health issues like obesity, substance abuse, and risky sexual behavior.
- Previous research on gratification delay has been hindered by measurement limitations, lacking a comprehensive tool to assess its five core domains (food, physical pleasures, social interactions, money, achievement).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a comprehensive, psychometrically sound measure for assessing the five domains of delaying gratification.
- To address the limitations of existing measures in terms of efficiency, reliability, and construct validity.
Main Methods:
- An innovative Internet-mediated approach was used to construct the 35-item, 5-factor Delaying Gratification Inventory (DGI).
- Psychometric properties were evaluated across four studies with a large, diverse sample (N = 10,741), including internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factor structure, and measurement invariance.
- Construct validity was assessed through correlations with related self-control measures, behavioral ratings, personality traits (Big Five), and psychopathology measures (MMPI-2-RF).
Main Results:
- The DGI demonstrated strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability for both the full 35-item scale and a 10-item short form.
- The 5-factor structure showed good fit and measurement invariance across subgroups.
- DGI scores exhibited strong construct validity and incremental validity in predicting well-being and health-related variables.
Conclusions:
- The Delaying Gratification Inventory (DGI) is a reliable and valid measure for assessing gratification delay across five domains.
- The study highlights the effectiveness of Internet-mediated approaches for survey construction.
- The DGI has significant implications for advancing public health research and interventions related to self-control and delayed gratification.
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