Measuring self-control across gender, age, language, and clinical status: A validation study of the Italian version of the Brief Self- Control Scale (BSCS)

Francesca Chiesi; Andrea Bonacchi; Chloe Lau; Anna Enrica Tosti; Fabio Marra; Donald H Saklofske

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237729

Measuring self-control across gender, age, language, and clinical status: A validation study of the Italian version of the Brief Self- Control Scale (BSCS)

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 21;15(8):e0237729. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237729. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Francesca Chiesi¹, Andrea Bonacchi², Chloe Lau³, Anna Enrica Tosti⁴, Fabio Marra⁵, Donald H Saklofske³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug, and Child's Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Italy.
² Centro Studi e Ricerca Syntesis, Florence, Italy.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
⁴ School of Psychology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
⁵ Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Abstract

The present study aims to develop and validate an Italian version of the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS). A large sample of Italian-speaking participants (N = 1139) completed the BSCS and measures of personality and individual dispositions. A clinical sample (N = 217) was administered the Italian version and an English-speaking sample (N = 274) completed the original version to test measurement invariance. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the best fit was observed for a shortened two-factor model (i.e., impulse control and self-discipline). Metric invariance across languages and partial strong invariance across genders, ages, and clinical status were demonstrated. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability for the total scale were adequate, and validity was established based on its correlations with related constructs and confirming that males and young individuals are more likely to have lower self-control. Results support the use of the shortened BSCS version to assess self-control in Italian-speaking individuals.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
Humans
Impulsive Behavior
Italy
Language
Male
Middle Aged
Psychometrics / methods
Self-Control*
Young Adult

Grants and funding

Funding for Basic Activities Related to Research (FFABR; Law no. 232/2016). Article processing fees were provided by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research. The funding agency did not have any role in the design of the study, data collection, data analysis, interpretation of data, and/or in writing the manuscript.