The study explored whether delay of gratification measured
in 6-year old preschool children, incrementally predicts their
subsequent academic achievement and social acceptance in
elementary school above cognitive abilities. The role of
gender in this relationship was also examined. The sample
comprised 99 girls and 120 boys attending fourth, fifth and
sixth grades. The study was longitudinal with two
measurement points: measures of cognitive abilities and
delay of gratification were taken at the age of 6, while
measures of academic achievement (GPA, grade in Croatian
language and math) and social acceptance, measured with
the sociometric technique, were taken between the age of 10
and 12 years. It was confirmed that delay of gratification
predicted both subsequent academic achievement and social
acceptance in elementary school above cognitive abilities,
but more strongly for boys than for girls. Also, delay of
gratification mediated the relationship between gender and
all four dependent variables. Gender differences in social
acceptance, Croatian and math grades were partially
explained and gender differences in GPA were fully
explained by gender differences in delay of gratification
measured at preschool age.Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati predviđa li odgađanje
zadovoljstva mjereno u dobi od 6 godina kasniji školski
uspjeh i socijalnu prihvaćenost u osnovnoj školi, povrh
mentalnih sposobnosti. Ispitana je i uloga roda u ovom
odnosu. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 99 djevojčica i 120
dječaka četvrtog, petog i šestog razreda osnovne škole.
Istraživanje je bilo longitudinalnoga tipa u dvije točke, pri
čemu su kognitivne sposobnosti i odgoda zadovoljstva
mjereni u dobi od šest godina, dok su mjere akademskoga
postignuća (opći uspjeh, ocjena iz hrvatskoga jezika, ocjena
iz matematike) i socijalna prihvaćenost mjerena
sociometrijskim testom prikupljene u drugoj točki, u dobi
između 10. i 12. godine. Potvrđeno je da odgoda
zadovoljstva, osim kognitivne zrelosti, predviđa kasniji školski
uspjeh i socijalnu prihvaćenost u osnovnoj školi, ali u većoj
mjeri za dječake nego za djevojčice. Također, odgoda
zadovoljstva bila je medijator u odnosu između roda i sve 4
zavisne varijable. Rodne razlike u socijalnoj prihvaćenosti,
ocjenama iz hrvatskoga jezika i matematike bile su
djelomično, a u općem uspjehu potpuno, posredovane
rodnim razlikama u odgodi zadovoljstva mjerenoj u
predškolskoj dobi