The effect of school classroom characteristics on low self-control: A multilevel analysis

✍ Scribed by Kevin M. Beaver; John Paul Wright; Michael O. Maume

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 230 KB
• Volume: 36
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0047-2352
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2008.02.007

✦ Synopsis

Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory has reaped a substantial amount of empirical support. Recently, attention has focused on the factors associated with the development of self-control. With few and isolated exceptions, most research has examined the ways in which parents contribute to the development of selfcontrol in children. Gottfredson and Hirschi hypothesized, however, that other social institutions, especially schools, may play at least some role in inculcating self-control. The current study addressed this possibility by conducting a series of multilevel models that examined whether the characteristics of schools, and classrooms within schools, were salient to the development of self-control. Using a longitudinal sample of kindergarten and first-grade students, the results revealed that classroom characteristics influenced self-control.