It's Time: A Meta-Analysis on the Self-Control-Deviance Link

Authors

Alexander T. Vazsonyi, University of KentuckyFollow
Jakub Mikuška, University of KentuckyFollow
Erin L. Kelley, University of KentuckyFollow

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.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2017

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Journal of Criminal Justice, v. 48.

© 2016 The Authors

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2016.10.001

Funding Information

This work was supported, in part, by the John I. and Patricia J. Buster Endowment to the first author.

Repository Citation

Vazsonyi, Alexander T.; Mikuška, Jakub; and Kelley, Erin L., "It's Time: A Meta-Analysis on the Self-Control-Deviance Link" (2017). Family Sciences Faculty Publications. 5.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/hes_facpub/5