Intentional Self-Regulation and Positive Youth Development in Early Adolescence: Findings From the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development

Fifth graders participated in a study designed to examine the development of intentional self-regulation which is defined as selecting and enacting behaviors that attain goals that are pertinent to oneself. A global nine-item measure was found to be a valid index of intentional self-regulation in early adolescence. Scores on this measure were related to indicators of positive and negative development.