The Cross-Lagged Associations between Authentic Inner Compass and Self-Control among Chinese College Students

College students are in a critical period for defining their life direction, yet they often face external temptations that challenge the development of an authentic inner compass (AIC), underscoring the importance of their self-control during the same period. This study examined the reciprocal associations between the development of AIC and self-control among Chinese college students, who may experience heightened autonomy-related challenges in university settings. Participants (N = 2014; 64% female; mean age = 18.35 years at Wave 1) from eight Chinese public universities completed online surveys annually across four waves from 2020 to 2023, reporting on their AIC and self-control at least twice. AIC was assessed using Yu et al. (Current Psychology, 40, 887–894, 2021) adapted Chinese version of Assor’s (2012) Authentic Inner Compass Scale, and self-control was assessed by Tangney et al.’s (Journal of Personality, 72(2), 271–324, 2004) Brief Self-Control Scale. Cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM) revealed positive reciprocal associations between AIC and self-control in general. Self-control consistently predicted increases in AIC each year, whereas AIC predicted changes in self-control only from junior to senior year, likely due to the heightened academic and career-related pressures faced by senior students. These findings underscore the critical role of college students’ self-control in forming their inner guiding schemas, which in turn reinforces self-regulatory capacities as they get to prepare for post-graduation development. This highlights the need for educational practices to strengthen self-control strategies throughout college while providing targeted support for senior students to clarify their inner goals, thereby fostering both personal growth and successful life planning.