Evaluating the Good Lives Model Among Students: The Role of Primary Goods and Self-Regulation in Achieving a Good Life

The Good Lives Model (GLM) is an offender rehabilitation theory. The model explains that offenders commit crimes because they have problems achieving certain Primary Goods (PG). The current study tested the hypotheses that people with higher importance of the PG will achieve more of their PG and engage in less antisocial behavior. We expected self-regulation to moderate this association. We included data from 156 students in a structural equation model. Among individuals with high conscientiousness, higher PG importance was associated with less antisocial behavior. Furthermore, higher PG importance, as well as more conscientiousness was associated with higher PG achievement. In those with high lack of urgency, PG importance was negatively associated with GPA and positively with antisocial behavior. The results provide partial support for the GLM in the student population and less serious antisocial behavior.