Measuring Self-Control in Adolescents: Psychometric Investigation of Different Forms of the Brief Self-Control Scale in Italian Adolescents

Background: Self-control is crucial for promoting long-term goal-directed behaviors and avoiding involvement in risky behaviors. The Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) is one of the most used tools. As poor attention has been paid to its psychometric properties among adolescents, we aimed to investigate them in youth. Methods: In Study 1 (n = 504, 61% male; Mage = 15.67) we tested different BSCS versions. In Study 2 (n = 795, 53% male; Mage = 16.39), we tested the best-fitting solutions resulting from Study 1. We analyzed invariance across sex and age groups (middle and late adolescents), reliability and validity. Results: The 7-item two-dimensional (Impulse Control and Self-Discipline) solution proved to be the only one confirmed with an independent sample of adolescents and was invariant across sex and age groups. Internal consistency was questionable for the Impulse Control subscale and adequate for the Self-Discipline subscale. The subscale scores were negatively related to risk factors for addictive behaviors and problematic use of video games. Self-Discipline was related to problematic video gaming over and beyond the effects of other risk factors. Conclusions: The 7-item bidimensional BSCS is useful to measure self-control in Italian adolescents.