From a very early age, some children exhibit better self-control than others. Now, a new study has tracked how low self control can predict poor health, money troubles and even a criminal record in their adult years.

　　有些孩子在很小的时候就表现出高于其他孩子的自我控制能力。现在，从新西兰1000名儿童开始的一项新的研究显示，孩子自我控制能力弱，可能是成年后健康不良、金钱问题、甚至犯罪行为的先兆。

　　The study began with 1,000 children in New Zealand. Researchers followed them for decades. They observed the level of self-control the youngsters displayed. Parents, teachers, even the kids themselves, scored the youngsters on measures like "acting before thinking" and "persistence in reaching goals."

　　研究人员对这群孩子已经进行了多年的跟踪研究。他们最早期的一些观察，与儿童展示出来的自我控制程度有关。父母、老师，甚至孩子自己，对孩子们的一些行为方式进行评估。例如“先思考，再行动”和“为达到目标而坚持努力”等等。

　　The children of the study are now adults in their thirties. Terrie Moffitt of Duke University found that kids with self-control issues tended to grow up to become adults with a far more troubling set of issues to deal with.

　　现在，这些接受研究的孩子们已是30多岁的成年人了。美国杜克大学的特里·莫菲特和她的研究同事们发现，有自我控制问题的孩子，在长大成人后，会面临更多的严重问题。

　　"The children who had the lowest self-control when they were age three to 10, early years, later on had the most health problems in their thirties," Moffitt said, "and they had the worst financial situation. They were more likely to have a criminal record and to be raising a child as a single parent on a very low income."

　　莫菲特说：“3岁到10岁期间自我控制能力最低的孩子，到30岁之后，出现的健康问题最多。另外，他们的财务情况最糟，更有可能有犯罪记录，更有可能独自抚养孩子，而且收入非常低。”

　　Moffitt explained that self-control problems were widely observed, and weren’t just a feature of a small group of misbehaving kids.

　　在新西兰接受记者网络电话采访的莫菲特解释说，孩子自我控制的问题已经受到广泛关注，这不仅是少数调皮孩子的问题。

　　"Even the children who had above-average self-control as pre-schoolers, could have benefited from more self-control training. They could have improved their financial situation and their physical and mental health situation 30 years later."

　　她说：“即使自我控制能力高于一般水平的学龄前儿童，依然可以经由更多的自我控制训练而获益。30年之后，他们能够改进自己的财务状况以及生理和心理健康。”

　　So, children with minor self-control problems were likely as adults to have minor health problems, and so on.

　　因此，如果孩子有轻微的自我控制能力问题，成人后也会有轻微的健康等问题。

　　Moffitt said it’s still unclear why some children have better self-control than others, though other researchers have found that it's mostly a learned behavior, with relatively little genetic influence. But good self-control can run in families because children with good self-control are more likely to grow up to be healthy and prosperous parents.

　　莫菲特谈到，现在还不太清楚的是，为什么有些孩子的自制能力比其他孩子强。有些研究人员说，自制能力基本上是学习得来的，遗传的影响较小。但是也有人说，在自我控制良好的家庭中，即使孩子有自我控制能力方面的问题，长大后还是更可能成为健康和富裕的父母。

　　"Whereas some of the low-self-control study members are more likely to be single parents with a very low income and the parent is in poor health and likely to be a heavy substance abuser," said Moffitt. "So that's not a good atmosphere for a child. So it looks as though self-control is something that in one generation can disadvantage the next generation."

　　莫菲特说：“有些自我控制能力差的人更可能成为低收入、健康不良、吸毒成瘾的单亲父母。这不是一个让孩子生长的好环境。因此，自我控制能力看来会从一代影响到下一代。”

　　But the good news, according to Moffitt, is that self-control can be taught by parents, and through school curricula that have been shown to be effective.

　　但是也有好消息。莫菲特说，自我控制能力可以由父母训练培养，而且学校的相关课程也有效果