來自美國西北大學的一項最新研究表明，在學術和社交領域獲得成功的來自低收入家庭的年輕人，其往往會在自身健康上付出代價，相關研究刊登於國際雜誌PNAS上；低收入家庭的兒童接受完整的教育程度較低，健康狀況較差，同時相對於富裕家庭的兒童而言犯罪率較高。
為了改善這種不平等，決策者往往會增加一些政策來為低收入家庭的兒童提供較多的技能學習機會，同時還製定策略來幫助這些兒童鍛煉自控能力，包括樂觀主義和耐力等，他們希望這些機體特性可以幫助低收入家庭的兒童更好地抵製誘惑，不斷完善自身的素質。
研究者Gregory E. Miller教授說道，新興數據表明，對於低收入年輕人而言，自我控製是一把雙刃劍，其可以促進學術成功和心理社會適應，同時也會破壞機體健康；文章中研究者重點對大約300名非美國裔的農村青少年進行研究，研究階段從這些個體從青春期到成年期，研究者發現，有較高自控水平或者有遠期目標的青少年在多種心理素質表現上要優於年輕人的表現。
同時研究者還分析了研究對象在成年期的細胞衰老的指標，Miller表示，我們發現心理上較為成功的青少年，即自控水平較高的個體，機體中往往含有相對於個體實際年齡更老的細胞，換句話說，自控水平較高的個體或許會付出其健康的成本來換取自身的成功。隨著青年弱勢群體爭取良好的生活時，其往往會克服多種困難並且完成多種要求，包括在資源匱乏的學校學習、家庭教育缺乏以及管理社會認同威脅等，這些挑戰對於非洲裔美國人尤其如此。
隨後研究者觀察了反映機體健康狀態的一些因素，比如壓力和肥胖等，研究者表示，駕馭挑戰需要強烈且持續性的自我控製力，這在機體行為和代謝上都要求維持，而發揮自控能力往往會誘發壓力激素的釋放；本文研究對於開發彈性模型具有一定的意義，對於開發改進社會和種族差異性的幹預措施也具有實際的應用價值。
doi:10.1073/pnas.1505063112
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Self-control forecasts better psychosocial outcomes but faster epigenetic aging in low-SES youth
Gregory E. Millera,1, Tianyi Yub, Edith Chena, and Gene H. Brodyb
There are persistent socioeconomic disparities in many aspects of child development in America. Relative to their affluent peers, children of low socioeconomic status (SES) complete fewer years of education, have a higher prevalence of health problems, and are convicted of more criminal offenses. Based on research indicating that low self-control underlies some of these disparities, policymakers have begun incorporating character-skills training into school curricula and social services. However, emerging data suggest that for low-SES youth, self-control may act as a “double-edged sword,” facilitating academic success and psychosocial adjustment, while at the same time undermining physical health. Here, we examine this hypothesis in a five-wave study of 292 African American teenagers from rural Georgia. From ages 17 to 20 y, we assessed SES and self-control annually, along with depressive symptoms, substance use, aggressive behavior, and internalizing problems. At age 22 y, we obtained DNA methylation profiles of subjects’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These data were used to measure epigenetic aging, a methylation-derived biomarker reflecting the disparity between biological and chronological aging. Among high-SES youth, better mid-adolescent self-control presaged favorable psychological and methylation outcomes. However, among low-SES youth, self-control had divergent associations with these outcomes. Self-control forecasted lower rates of depressive symptoms, substance use, aggressive behavior, and internalizing problems but faster epigenetic aging. These patterns suggest that for low-SES youth, resilience is a “skin-deep” phenomenon, wherein outward indicators of success can mask emerging problems with health. These findings have conceptual implications for models of resilience, and practical implications for interventions aimed at ameliorating social and racial disparities..
