The Self-Control Ability Scale: Measuring a Key Construct of Situational Action Theory

Situational Action Theory (SAT) has emerged as a prominent theory of crime and delinquency. It includes a new conceptualization of self-control, which emphasizes its role in enabling individuals to adhere to their morality when deliberating about deviant and non-deviant action alternatives. However, existing self-control scales do not directly capture this role of self-control as a guardian of personal morality when externally challenged. To close this gap, we developed and validated the Self-Control Ability Scale (SCAS) to measure an individual’s self-perceived ability to withstand temptation, provocation, or social pressure when they conflict with their personal morality. We present the results of four studies that provide evidence for the three-dimensional structure of the SCAS, the reliability of its measures, its validity, and its measurement invariance across age, gender, and language. The SCAS promises more informative tests of SAT and new insights into individuals’ ability to adhere to their morality when challenged.