self-control

Self-controlrefers to one’s ability to control and regulate oneself. This includes one’s ability to control impulses, delay gratification, direct and focus attention, and regulate and modulate emotions and behaviors. Self-control is highly supported by the literature as related to workforce outcomes. In the violence prevention and psychology literature, a distinction between two important aspects of self-control is emphasized: self-control of behavior, and self-control of emotion. Self-control is key for managing impulsivity that is linked with aggression and gang membership. Of all of the youth soft skills examined, self-control had the most support of all in the violence prevention literature across outcomes and types of literature. The association between both types of self-control and youth violence prevention was also highly supported in the expert consultations.