The study & findings

Dr. Externbrink and his team predicted the relationship between stress and self-control. In their experiment, work and school were used at the two sources of stress. They hypothesized the following.

Hypothesis 1: An individual with high self-control will experience the least amount of strain from one stressor if all other stressors are low.

Hypothesis 2: An individual with high self-control will experience equally high amounts of strain as an individual with low self-control if dealing with multiple stressors.

In other words, they predicted that the advantages of high self-control (versus low) play out only when a person has to deal with a single stressor at a time.

For the study, self-control was measured using the scientically validated Self-Control Scale by Bertrams and Dickhäuser. The survey consists of a 5-point scale (1 = not at all like me, 5 = very much like me) designed to assess their baseline self-control.

The participants’ academic and work environment were used as their sources of demand. To assess job-related demands, participants were given a survey consisting of statements such as “some of my work tasks are such that I really need to force myself to get them done”. To assess academic-related demands, participants were given the same survey, but each time the word “work” appeared, it was replaced by the word “academic”.

Following this, the researchers assessed whether participants felt strained by the multiple stressors. Levels of irritation were used as markers for psychological strain. Irritation was measured using the Irritation Scale, consisting of statements such as “I anger quickly”. The researchers focused on irritation because the symptoms of this response reflect distinct failures of self-control.

The results of the study provide evidence in favor of Hypothesis 1. In cases of high trait self-control, when the participant was dealing with one stressor (either work or school), their reported level of strain was relatively low. Moreover, in favor of Hypothesis 2, when a second stressor came into play, high trait self-control no longer acted as a buffer against feelings of strain. Both groups of people, the lows and the highs, reported being equally strained.

The results of these studies provide support for the notion that self-control only enables effective coping when dealing with one stressor. In the event of multiple stressors, even those with high self-control will experience disproportionately high strain.