Genetic and Environmental Influences on Self-Control: Assessing Self-Control with the ASEBA Self-Control Scale

Yayouk E. Willems; Conor V. Dolan; Catharina E.M. van Beijsterveldt; Eveline L. de Zeeuw; Dorret I. Boomsma; Meike Bartels; Catrin Finkenauer

doi:10.1007/s10519-018-9887-1

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Self-Control: Assessing Self-Control with the ASEBA Self-Control Scale

Yayouk E. Willems^*, Conor V. Dolan, Catharina E.M. van Beijsterveldt, Eveline L. de Zeeuw, Dorret I. Boomsma, Meike Bartels, Catrin Finkenauer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

This study used a theoretically-derived set of items of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment to develop the Achenbach Self-Control Scale (ASCS) for 7–16 year olds. Using a large dataset of over 20,000 children, who are enrolled in the Netherlands Twin Register, we demonstrated the psychometric properties of the ASCS for parent-, self- and teacher-report by examining internal and criterion validity, and inter-rater and test–retest reliability. We found associations between the ASCS and measures of well-being, educational achievement, and substance use. Next, we applied the classical twin design to estimate the genetic and environmental contributions to self-control. Genetic influences accounted for 64–75% of the variance in self-control based on parent- and teacher-report (age 7–12), and for 47–49% of the variance in self-control based on self-report (age 12–16), with the remaining variance accounted by non-shared environmental influences. In conclusion, we developed a validated and accessible self-control scale, and show that genetic influences explain a majority of the individual differences in self-control across youth aged 7–16 years.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	135-146
Number of pages	12
Journal	Behavior Genetics
Volume	48
Issue number	2
Early online date	5 Feb 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-018-9887-1
Publication status	Published - Mar 2018

Funding

Funding NTR acknowledges Twin-family database for behavior genetics and genomics studies (NWO 480-04-004); Genetics of Mental Illness: European Research Council (ERC-230374); Genetic influences on stability and change in psychopathology from childhood to young adulthood (NWO/ZonMW 91210020); Determinants of Adolescent Exercise Behavior (NIH-1R01DK092127-01). NWO-large investment (480-15-001/674: Netherlands Twin Registry Repository: researching the interplay between genome and environment.), The Consortium on Individual Development (CID), which is funded through the Gravitation program of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO Grant Number 024.001.003). M. Bartels is supported by a VU University Research Chair position, The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO): “Genetic and Family influences on Adolescent psychopathology and Wellness” (NWO 463-06-001); “A twin-sib study of adolescent wellness” (NWO-VENI 451-04-034). M. Bartels, D. I. Boomsma, and C. Finkenauer are supported by the European Union Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013, Grant No. 602768). Y. Willems is supported by NWO (Research Talent, 406-15-132). Edited by Wendy Slutske. Yayouk E. Willems, Conor V. Dolan, Catharina E. M. van Beijsterveldt, Eveline L. de Zeeuw, Dorret I. Boomsma, Meike Bartels, and Catrin Finkenauer declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funders	Funder number
Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science
Seventh Framework Programme	602768, 230374, 406-15-132
European Research Council
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	463-06-001, NWO-VENI 451-04-034, 024.001.003
Seventh Framework Programme

Keywords

ASEBA
Heritability
Parent-report
Self-control
Self-report
Teacher-report

Cohort Studies

Netherlands Twin Register (NTR)

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10.1007/s10519-018-9887-1

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title = "Genetic and Environmental Influences on Self-Control: Assessing Self-Control with the ASEBA Self-Control Scale",

abstract = "This study used a theoretically-derived set of items of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment to develop the Achenbach Self-Control Scale (ASCS) for 7–16 year olds. Using a large dataset of over 20,000 children, who are enrolled in the Netherlands Twin Register, we demonstrated the psychometric properties of the ASCS for parent-, self- and teacher-report by examining internal and criterion validity, and inter-rater and test–retest reliability. We found associations between the ASCS and measures of well-being, educational achievement, and substance use. Next, we applied the classical twin design to estimate the genetic and environmental contributions to self-control. Genetic influences accounted for 64–75% of the variance in self-control based on parent- and teacher-report (age 7–12), and for 47–49% of the variance in self-control based on self-report (age 12–16), with the remaining variance accounted by non-shared environmental influences. In conclusion, we developed a validated and accessible self-control scale, and show that genetic influences explain a majority of the individual differences in self-control across youth aged 7–16 years.",

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AU - de Zeeuw, Eveline L.

AU - Boomsma, Dorret I.

AU - Bartels, Meike

AU - Finkenauer, Catrin

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Genetic and Environmental Influences on Self-Control: Assessing Self-Control with the ASEBA Self-Control Scale

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Cohort Studies

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