Do you work or live with kids who struggle with challenging behaviors? This easy-to-read overview of self-regulation research could help!
If you feel a bit dazed and confused whenever the topic of evidence-based practice (EBP) comes up in conversation…don’t worry. You’re definitely not alone.
The idea that research-based interventions should always be the basis of our therapy practice has been drilled into our heads since day one of being a therapist.
But for as much buzz there is about EBP in the therapy world, there certainly aren’t a lot of resources out there to help us feel confident and supported when it comes to research based practice – especially when it comes to self-regulation research.
We hear from therapists all the time who are frustrated with finding easy, free access to solid research related to relevant topics in pediatric therapy. And, even when they are able to find relevant research, many practicing therapists have a difficult time wading through the statistics and deciphering the research lingo to be able to actually apply the research findings to their work!
That’s why we’re here today – to take a look at some of the self-regulation research and to break it down into terms that everyone can understand so that it can be easily applied in our everyday practice. Let’s get started!
And, if you’re looking for ides to support SEL at school, be sure to check out these morning meeting SEL activities!
But first, have you checked out our Self-Regulation Handbook yet? It’s the perfect resource for professionals and others who want to support self-regulation in kids. This ebook is packed with tools, games, strategies, and activity ideas that can be used in therapy sessions, in the classroom, or at home to help with emotional regulation and more! Click here to find out more!
Self-Regulation Research
Montroy, J. J., Bowles, R. P., Skibbe, L. E., McClelland, M. M., & Morrison, F. J. (2016). The development of self-regulation across early childhood. Developmental psychology, 52(11), 1744–1762.
This study examines the development of self-regulation between the ages of 3 and 7, with a focus on how the developmental timeline differs within groups of children and how the timeline is impacted by outside factors. The study noted that the majority of children demonstrated rapid gains in behavioral self-regulation between the ages of 3 and 7, emphasizing this as a potential critical period for supports and interventions.
The study also noted that significant gains in self-regulation occur during the preschool years. The authors indicate that programs that focus on self-regulation while also targeting multiple other aspects of development may be impactful for preparing children for the skills they need in school. The article also cites research that found that nearly half of teachers indicated that they feel many children enter kindergarten without the self-regulation skills necessary to be ready to learn in formal education setting.
Pandey A, Hale D, Das S, Goddings AL, Blakemore SJ, Viner RM. Effectiveness of Universal Self-regulation-Based Interventions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Jun 1;172(6):566-575.
This study was a review and analysis of various types of self-regulation interventions for children and adolescents. The findings indicate that a variety of different types of interventions can be effective in supporting self-regulation, including:
-Curriculum-Based Interventions – Typically implemented in classrooms with the teacher as the main intervention provider. Includes professional training for teachers and classroom-based activities.
-Physical Activity/Exercise-Based Interventions – Using techniques such as martial arts, high intensity interval training, and team games. Typically delivered in school or after-school settings.
-Mindfulness/Yoga Interventions – Typically school based programs with mindfulness or yoga instructors and assistants providing the intervention. These interventions were found to be especially effective for the preadolescent and adolescent age groups
-Family-Based Intervention – Including skill building for parents and children, after-school programs with siblings, mentoring, and parent consultation.
-Other Social & Personal Interventions – Social and personal skills training in small groups using frameworks of personal responsibility, model behavior, conflict resolution, etc.
Findings indicated overall effectiveness of self-regulation interventions in children and adolescents. The study also noted that progress with self-regulation can positively impact educational, health, and social outcomes.
Braund, H., Timmons, K. Operationalization of self-regulation in the early years: comparing policy with theoretical underpinnings. ICEP 15, 8 (2021). ICEP 15, 8 (2021).
This study is an analysis of Ontario’s play-based kindergarten curriculum with the purpose of understanding and comparing a practice-oriented conceptualization of self-regulation with theory-driven definitions from empirical literature. The study identified four main themes as being central to the curriculum: (1) the power of co-regulation; (2) a de-emphasis of behavior regulation toward a focus on emotional regulation; (3) cognitive regulation encompasses far more than inhibitory control, and (4) the use of language in supporting metacognition. The role of play was highlighted as being significant as well as multiple opportunities throughout the school day for co-regulation to occur. The researchers recommend that future policy should consider the use self-assessment by young students to encourage cognitive regulation. They also note the importance of the teachers having access to tools to allow them to assess self-regulation in their students.
Yeshe Colliver, Linda J. Harrison, Judith E. Brown, Peter Humburg, Free play predicts self-regulation years later: Longitudinal evidence from a large Australian sample of toddlers and preschoolers, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Volume 59, 2022. Pages 148-161.
This study investigated time spent in unstructured quiet and active play activities at ages 2–3 and 4–5 years as a predictor of self-regulation abilities 2 years later. The project included a large sample of 2213 children in Australia. Results showed that the more time children spent in unstructured quiet play in the toddler and preschool years, the better their self-regulation abilities at ages 4–5 and 6–7 years, even after controlling for earlier self-regulation abilities and other known predictors. Further, between 1 and 5 hours of preschoolers’ unstructured active play time significantly predicted self-regulation 2 years later. This study provides early support for parenting programs designed to increase opportunities for children to spend time in unstructured, free play in the early years.
Somerville, M.P., Midouhas, E., Delprato, M. et al. Help Me If You Can I’m Feeling Down: Supporting Children’s Emotion Regulation and Well-Being in the Primary Classroom. School Mental Health 16, 577–591 (2024).
This study examined how classroom contextual factors and emotion regulation work together to predict well-being in children ages 8-12. The research found that supportive teacher behaviours were associated with both cognitive (i.e., school and life satisfaction) and affective (positive and negative affect) well-being outcomes. Findings indicate that teacher support remains important for children’s emotion regulation in older students; though, a different form of scaffolding is likely to be beneficial for these children, such as using metacognitive prompting to encourage reflection on emotion generation and situation-appropriate regulation strategies
We hope that the findings from these self-regulation studies will support you in your practice as you plan and facilitate interventions for kids. Of course, this short list is just the beginning when it comes to self-regulation research!
There are many other studies on this topic that can help inform you as you work with kids with self-regulation challenges. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by searching out and applying research to your practice – we’ve got you covered!
Check out some of our other top self-regulation resources below:
-Emotional Regulation Books for Kids
-How to Help Kids With Self-Regulation: 30 Games & Activities [FREE Printable]
-Free Printable Emotional Regulation Activity [FREE Printable]
-Self-Regulation Red Flags [FREE Printable]
–How to Deal With Toddler Separation Anxiety [FREE Printable]
-Learning to Share – Check out our favorite tips, toys, and strategies to work on this important social skill!
