An abstract of “Self-Discipline Outdoes IQ in Predicting Academic Performance of Adolescents” is available from Blackwell Synergy.
Self-discipline may be the most influential factor in determining a child’s academic success—even more so than raw intelligence, concludes a study.
Published in the December issue of Psychological Science,thestudyevaluated two groups of 8th graders on such factors as grades, standardized-test scores, and IQ-test scores. The students’ self-discipline was also measured, using student self-reports, parent reports, teacher reports, and a delay-of-gratification task. The research showed that self-discipline was the most important factor in predicting the students’ academic success. It suggests that a failure to exercise self-discipline could be a crucial reason for students’ falling short of their academic potential.
