Content Advisory
Please be aware that this content contains descriptions of violence that may be distressing to some viewers.The purpose of the current study was to examine three measures of Hirschi’s self-control theory and to understand the link between Hirschi’s self-control theory and drug and alcohol behaviors.
This study drew from a sample of undergraduate college students (N = 640) to examine the role of Hirschi’s self-control in the explanation of drug and alcohol behaviors. The current study used a previous measure of Hirschi’s self-control [i.e., decisional self-control (alcohol)] and two measures (i.e., decisional self-control (cheat) and bond-based self-control) created by the researchers to analyze drug and alcohol behaviors. Results indicated that self-control based in social bonds (i.e., bond-based self-control) was significantly related to all drug and alcohol behaviors. The cost/salience scale measuring cheating behaviors [i.e., decisional self-control (cheat)] was significantly related to marijuana/hashish use, and the cost/salience scale measuring drinking and driving [i.e., decisional self-control (alcohol)] was significantly related to zero drug and alcohol behaviors. Results indicate that developing strong social bonds as a form of self-control can reduce the likelihood of drug and alcohol behaviors. (Publisher abstract provided)