My Brain Needs a Break: Kindergarteners' Willpower Theories Are Related to Behavioral Self-Regulation.

ABSTRACT: Is the way that kindergarteners view their willpower - as a limited or as a non-limited resource - related to their motivation and behavioral self-regulation? This study is the first to examine the structure of beliefs about willpower in relation to behavioral self-regulation by interviewing 147 kindergarteners (52% girls) aged 5 to 7 years (M = 6.47, SD = 0.39). A new instrument was developed to assess implicit theories about willpower for this specific age group. Results indicated that kindergarteners who think of their willpower as a non-limited resource showed better behavioral self-regulation than children who adopted a more limited theory, even when controlling for age and gender. This relation was especially pronounced in low achieving children. Mediation and moderatio

SUBMITTER: Compagnoni M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7772190 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature