Middle School Student Self-Control Scale (SCS-R) – Chinese Version

Description

Self-control is defined by Yang Lizhu et al. (2012) as an individual’s ability to actively master their own psychology and behavior. Even without external supervision, individuals can consciously choose goals they wish to achieve, strive to suppress impulses, resist temptations that may arise, and delay self-gratification conditions, thereby achieving the goal of controlling their behavior and ultimately ensuring the realization of their goals through a comprehensive system. Scholar Kuhl proposed the behavior control theory, suggesting that self-control is a “competition” on cognitive and emotional aspects where individuals need to exert willpower to enhance cognition while sacrificing emotional preferences, requiring them to establish self-integrated goals to better use awareness in resolving conflicts. The two-phase model of self-control, proposed by Myrseth and Fishbach, is based on the latest physiological and neurological research on self-control, elucidating the psychological mechanisms behind it. Researchers have utilized magnetic resonance imaging technology to identify regions in the brain associated with self-control, discovering that errors in the awareness or regulation of conflicts can lead to failures in self-control. In simpler terms, successful self-control requires two stages: the first stage is recognizing contradictions, and the second stage is resolving contradictions. When individuals encounter events, they first need to recognize whether their behavior aligns with immediate interests or long-term goals. Subsequently, if they can resist temptation, they employ successful control strategies to resolve the contradiction. However, if individuals allow themselves to indulge, the contradiction remains unresolved, leading to a failure in self-control. This theory strongly supports the prior viewpoints, emphasizing that self-control is the process by which individuals resist immediate temptations to achieve long-term goals.

Authors and Contact Email

Yang Lizhu et al. (2012), Liu Yuanjuan (2017) – information not available

Purpose

To understand the development status of self-control among middle school students.

Test Year

2017

Administration Method and Scoring

Based on the short form of Tangney’s Self-Control Scale (SCS), Liu Yuanjuan revised the “Middle School Students Self-Control Scale,” designed specifically for middle school students. The scale consists of 10 items and is divided into three dimensions: 学习行为习惯 (Learning Behavioral Habits), 冲动控制 (Impulse Control), and 总体自律 (Overall Self-discipline), using a Likert five-point scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree). Items 1, 6, and 8 are scored inversely, so a higher score indicates poorer self-control.

Reliability and Validity

The Cronbach Alpha coefficient of the “Middle School Students Self-Control Scale” is 0.764, with a split-half reliability of 0.786. The internal consistency coefficients for the impulse control, learning behavioral habits, and overall self-discipline dimensions are 0.658, 0.648, and 0.528, respectively. The internal consistency among dimensions is deemed acceptable, and the overall consistency of the scale is good, making it a usable research tool.

Factors and Subscales

– 学习行为习惯 (Learning Behavioral Habits)
– 冲动控制 (Impulse Control)
– 总体自律 (Overall Self-discipline)

Keywords

Self-control, Middle School Students, Scale, Reliability, Validity

Items in Chinese

1. 我能很好的抵制诱惑。
2. 我很难改变自己的坏习惯。
3. 我很懒。
4. 我会说一些不合时宜的话。
5. 如果事情是有趣的，即使对我不好我也会去做。
6. 周围的人说我是严于律己的人。
7. 我很难专注。
8. 对于长期既定目标，我能有限坚持。
9. 即使我知道那样做不对，但是我还是无法控制自己。
10. 我经常没有三思而后行。

Items in English

1. I can resist temptation well.
2. It’s hard for me to change my bad habits.
3. I am very lazy.
4. I sometimes say inappropriate things.
5. If something is interesting, I will do it even if it is bad for me.
6. People around me say that I am strict with myself.
7. I have difficulty concentrating.
8. I can persist to a limited extent towards long-term established goals.
9. Even though I know it’s wrong, I still can’t control myself.
10. I often act without thinking.

References

何怡晓. 高中生学习压力,自我控制与学业拖延的相关研究. 2020.天津师范大学.
刘媛娟. (2017). 中学生自我控制、领悟社会支持与手机依赖的关系研究. 硕士学位论文.闽南师范大学.