Who Achieves Long-Term Goals? Development and Validation of the DPR Conceptualization of Trait Self-Control and the DPR Self-Control Scale.

OBJECTIVE: Trait self-control predicts many desirable life outcomes ranging from health to wealth. Yet, conceptual issues around the construct (e.g., how to integrate coexisting perspectives or acknowledge the variability of individual goals and dominant tendencies) seem insufficiently resolved. Here, we develop thoughts toward an integrative, multidimensional theoretical conceptualization of trait self-control comprising three dimensions: Direction (D) refers to the cognitive representation of a configuration of individual long-term goals, Proactive Regulation (P) to typical performance in planning with foresight, and Reactive Regulation (R) to typical performance in controlling present dominant thoughts, feelings, and behavioral tendencies. METHOD: To operationalize and validate this conceptualization as a self-report scale, we developed the DPR Self-Control Scale (DPRS) across two qualitative studies (Ntotal = 100) focusing on substantive validity and four quantitative studies focusing on structural validity and external validation (Ntotal = 1918). RESULTS: The results indicate good substantive, structural, nomological, and predictive validity of the DPRS, including incremental validity with regard to established trait self-control scales. CONCLUSIONS: With the DPR conceptualization of trait self-control and the DPRS, we hope to provide a solid conceptual and diagnostic foundation for further basic and applied work on trait self-control, from understanding its foundations to strengthening it through interventions.