Delayed gratification and psychosocial wellbeing among high-risk youth in rehabilitation: A latent change score analysis

Abstract

This multiwave longitudinal study investigated the dynamic relationship between gratification delay and three facets of well-being among a group of high-risk youth in a residential therapeutic community: life satisfaction, life flourishing, and lack of depressive symptoms. We collected four waves of data from 111 Hong Kong youths (75.7% male, mean age = 17.7) over one year. We employed latent change score analysis to examine the univariate and bivariate changes of levels of gratification delay and well-being indicators, accounting for gender, drug history, and duration of stay. Results suggest a positive growth trajectory in gratification delay and psychosocial well-being. Delayed gratification was associated with subsequent changes in all three psychosocial well-being indicators and had a reciprocal effect with life flourishing. The findings shed light on delayed gratification as a possible predictor of well-being in high-risk youth and highlight the potential contribution of incorporating training of gratification delay in their rehabilitation. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.