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Evaluating the Effects of Birth Complications on Low Self-Control in a Sample of Twins

NCJ Number
210604
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 49 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2005 Pages: 450-471
Author(s)
Kevin M. Beaver; John Paul Wright
Date Published
August 2005
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Using a sample of twins, this study examined the influence of birth complications and parental influence on low self-control.
Abstract
Data came from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K), which is a continuing study of a nationally representative sample of children designed to assess the influence of primary schooling on productive learning. Multiple reporting sources provide information about various aspects of the children's conduct, dispositions, intellectual skills, relationship patterns, and neighborhood and school environments. This study was able to construct theoretically equivalent measures of low self-control based on parent and teacher reports. The ECLS-K also collected information on any birth complications, as well as the amount of time, effort, and commitment the parent gives to interaction with the child. Since information on birth complications was collected only on the sample of twin sets drawn from the larger sample, this study was restricted to a sample of twins (n=310 twins; n=155 twin pairs). The empirical analysis assessed the relative strength of parental influence and birth complications on the development of low-self control in the sample. The measure of parental involvement was only weakly and inconsistently related to low self-control during kindergarten years and was totally unrelated to low self-control in the first grade. The second major finding was that anoxia (oxygen deprivation) at birth was the strongest predictor of low self-control across both parent and teacher reports over time. Other types of birth complications, however, were inconsistently related to low self-control. 4 tables, 8 notes, and 47 references