RT Article
T1 Self-Control and Delinquency in China: Examining the Mediating Role of Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making
JF Criminal justice and behavior
VO 50
IS 10
SP 1456
OP 1481
A1 Wang, Xia
A2 Gricius, Matthew
A2 Zhang, Wenrui
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1858645123
AB Since Gottfredson and Hirschi proposed the general theory of crime, the direct link between self-control and delinquency has gained strong empirical support. The indirect link, however, remains understudied. Meanwhile, although Gottfredson and Hirschi argued that self-control theory can be applied in all cultural contexts, its generalizability needs to be tested under different circumstances. This study addressed these gaps by assessing the relationship between self-control and delinquency in China and introducing thoughtfully reflective decision making (TRDM) as the mediator of this relationship. Using self-reported data from the city of Changzhi, China, this study finds that (a) self-control is closely related to TRDM, (b) low self-control is significantly related to general and property delinquency for those with low morality, and (c) TRDM mediates the relationship between low self-control and delinquency for those with low morality. We discuss these findings and their implications for theory, research, and policy.
K1 China
K1 Youth
K1 Delinquency
K1 Decision Making
K1 Self-control
DO 10.1177/00938548231180632