This study investigated how individuals' trait self-control
relates to their age and how various attitudes toward failure moderate this
relationship. In a cross-sectional online survey, a sample of 2,578 Japanese adults
assessed themselves using a newly developed scale consisting of eighteen items that
describe cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to failure. An exploratory
factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure: regret aversion, thought shifting, and
reflection for improvement. Results from multiple regression analyses showed that
trait self-control was negatively associated with regret aversion and positively
associated with thought shifting, reflection for improvement, and age. Interactions
between attitudes toward failure and age were significant, indicating that individuals
with positive attitudes toward failure demonstrate better self-control as they grow
older. Future studies should utilize longitudinal surveys to provide valuable insights
into whether this pattern will replicate as a time-course improvement of self-control
throughout a lifetime.