Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SELFCONTROLHEALTH (Childhood Self-Control, Social Conditions, and Adult Health)
Reporting period: 2018-03-15 to 2020-03-14
This research aimed to further understanding of the relationship between early childhood individual differences in self-control and health outcomes drawing on a range of UK longitudinal cohort studies. In addition, this study sought to unpick the role of socioeconomic status in translating the potential effects of early self-control on subsequent health behaviour and health outcomes.
Specifically, we asked three questions that each corresponded to a Work Package and a stage of the project:
1. What are the life-span health consequences of childhood self-control?
2. What are the key mechanisms linking early life self-control to adult health?
3. How does childhood self-control interact with the social environment to shape health behaviour and health?
Specifically, we asked three questions that each corresponded to a Work Package and a stage of the project:
1. What are the life-span health consequences of childhood self-control?
2. What are the key mechanisms linking early life self-control to adult health?
3. How does childhood self-control interact with the social environment to shape health behaviour and health?
WP Title: What are the life-span health consequences of childhood self-control?
For WP1 substantial time in the 8 months of the project was dedicated to preparing datasets for analysis (e.g. variable cleaning, coding missing data), data management (e.g. preparation of do-files/syntax), data analysis, and preparing the results for presentation and academic papers.This work identified linkages between childhood self-control and a series of adult health outcomes including self-reported mental health and well-being, the presence of chronic conditions and pain, and physiological dysregulation and mortality. The role of socioeconomic background was also investigated and shown not to systematically modify the links identified between self-control and subsequent health. This research was presented to relevant policy audiences in a set of talks detailed below. A paper was also prepared on the links between time perspective (a key contributor to self-control) and mortality which was published in Annals of Behavioral Medicine, the leading field journal in this area (Daly et al., 2019). Extensive background research was also conducted at this time to understand the role of cognitive ability and socioeconomic status (two key correlates of self-control) to later health and well-being which was published in the top-ranked journal, Psychological Medicine (Bridger & Daly, 2019).
WP Title: What are the key mechanisms linking early life self-control to adult health?
For WP2 extensive work was completed examining the potential processes linking childhood self-control to adult health. In the model proposed as part of this research education attainment is proposed to play a central role in translating the contribution of early self-control into health benefits. For instance, self-control is considered to bolster academic motivation and persistence, and greater educational attainment is linked to social mobility, enhanced health behaviours and more years of good health later in life. Findings on the role of educational attainment and other potential mediating factors were prepared and presented in a set of talks described below. In addition, a paper on the relationship between early self-control and academic attainment was published (Daly & Corcoran, 2019).
For WP1 substantial time in the 8 months of the project was dedicated to preparing datasets for analysis (e.g. variable cleaning, coding missing data), data management (e.g. preparation of do-files/syntax), data analysis, and preparing the results for presentation and academic papers.This work identified linkages between childhood self-control and a series of adult health outcomes including self-reported mental health and well-being, the presence of chronic conditions and pain, and physiological dysregulation and mortality. The role of socioeconomic background was also investigated and shown not to systematically modify the links identified between self-control and subsequent health. This research was presented to relevant policy audiences in a set of talks detailed below. A paper was also prepared on the links between time perspective (a key contributor to self-control) and mortality which was published in Annals of Behavioral Medicine, the leading field journal in this area (Daly et al., 2019). Extensive background research was also conducted at this time to understand the role of cognitive ability and socioeconomic status (two key correlates of self-control) to later health and well-being which was published in the top-ranked journal, Psychological Medicine (Bridger & Daly, 2019).
WP Title: What are the key mechanisms linking early life self-control to adult health?
For WP2 extensive work was completed examining the potential processes linking childhood self-control to adult health. In the model proposed as part of this research education attainment is proposed to play a central role in translating the contribution of early self-control into health benefits. For instance, self-control is considered to bolster academic motivation and persistence, and greater educational attainment is linked to social mobility, enhanced health behaviours and more years of good health later in life. Findings on the role of educational attainment and other potential mediating factors were prepared and presented in a set of talks described below. In addition, a paper on the relationship between early self-control and academic attainment was published (Daly & Corcoran, 2019).
As stated above, the project ended early after 8 months as the MSCA Fellow took up a tenured position as Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology in Maynooth University in November 2018. Positions at this level are extremely rare in Ireland and the MSCA Fellowship training opportunities and outputs and research findings developed at this time played a key role in being offered this post. However, taking up this position meant that WP3 and planned work to convert the WP1 and WP2 findings into further outputs could not be continued. This new position has rapidly allowed the Fellow to become a leading researcher in the study of the interrelationship between socioeconomic conditions, personality, and mental health and well-being at the population level.