Self-regulation is defined as the ability to effectively modulate emotions, thoughts, and behavior after their identification to enhance and nurture interpersonal and intrapersonal well-being.
Regulation of emotions and thoughts involves two different processes. The first one is concerned with exercising control over the impulses and the second is to do something even if one doesn’t want to. It involves delaying gratification and enhancing critical thinking to evaluate the outcomes of any action or probable alternatives before acting impulsively. For example, not eating the food from the lunch box during classroom hours and waiting for the break time is a self-regulatory behavior to control one’s impulses from acting towards hunger.
According to the surveys conducted on teachers, it has been established that a limited skill set is observed in young children joining school when it comes to regulating their behavior. A national survey reported that over 46% of teachers agree that following directions is one of the most difficult tasks for students in kindergarten (Rimm-Kaufman et al., 2000). This result can be supported by developmental studies that have found specific changes in brain areas of the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex regions that are seen to develop with age to be responsible for regulatory skill development in children (Diamond and Taylor, 1996; Rueda et al., 2011; Munakata et al., 2012). As the child develops and gains more experiences by interacting with the environment, self-regulation continues to build. Parenting, peer groups, and the self-regulation of caregivers are important factors that determine and influence regulatory skill development (Sameroff and Fiese, 2000; Sameroff, 2009, 2010; Bailey and Jones, 2019). Self-regulatory behavior learned during early childhood has been linked to better performance in reading and mathematical abilities at par with the IQ scores. (Blair 2002; Blair & Razza 2007).
An important “No excuses' ' approach has been disapproved by recent studies, this approach was followed to instill self-discipline and regulation by continuous focus on academics and punishment as it hampered the child development in the areas such as social and emotional development. Early years of school being important in developmental science for the development of self-regulatory behavior involved in better academic performance and higher self-esteem through interaction with teachers and peers are jeopardized due to such policies that affect the relationship between teachers and students established as opposed to a classroom environment which provided a status of more autonomy. Children, when asked to construct a story, had a protagonist that was responsible and less aggressive, thus displaying better regulation of emotions (Ryan and Grolnick, 1986).
This module incorporates specific sub-competencies of self-regulation that are involved in the development of the child. They can be elucidated as Emotional Self Control, Growth Mindset, and Adaptability.
Emotional self-control can be understood as a conflict existing between two parts of our mind that try to find the balance between inborn instincts and rational social judgments that prevent us from acting upon our animal instincts.
Self-control learned in early childhood has been associated with the development of better control for the lifetime (Sroufe, Carlson, & Schulman 1993). Research suggests that the development of strong self-control is the reason for successful academic performance and career as an adult. It helps establish better social, emotional, and academic performance and conscience in individuals ensuring public safety and individual stability.
Growth Mindset enables young children to gain control over their learning process and inculcate healthy habits for a lifelong impact. For example, a growth mindset can be seen to develop when a child says “Even though the task is difficult, I would like to try” instead of giving up on the task. In a research, conducted to check the effect of growth mindset on the development of a child, the parents were asked to praise the child for the efforts being put into reading rather than the outcomes or performance. The result revealed that the children who were praised and dealt with a growth mindset by parents were able to develop better reading and writing skills rather than the children with whom the intervention was not introduced.
Adaptability can be understood as adjustment during adverse situations by appropriately modifying the cognitive, behavioral, and affective aspects of our personality. For example, adaptability is needed for the child to adjust when he goes from one class to another. There is a change, of course, class teacher and sometimes even peers. Situations are perceived to be more stressful and challenging for students who are less adaptable owing to their poor classroom functioning and lower emotional stability. In a study, 959 children were observed from third grade and teachers were asked to rate them via direct assessment in a classroom with low emotional support. The results confirmed that the students who were able to adapt better displayed a varying range of social skills and academic achievements even without emotional support.
Role of Self Regulation in development of a child
The development of self-regulation is an important foundation towards stable emotional and functional regulation of a child(Greenspan & Shanker 2004). The more the child continues to interact with the stressors in and around his environment, the more the development of self-regulation takes place.
Emotional and cognitive components of self-regulation develop according to their neural roots that increase as they grow and their brain develops. They begin controlling their thoughts and emotions in a better way with age due to repetitive use of ways to control and regulate themselves. The prefrontal cortex in our brain involved with self-regulation is underdeveloped if a child is unable to regulate their behavior and emotions.
During toddlerhood and early childhood, the early signs of self-regulation occur when a child starts to exert conscious control in daily life by preferring to respond to certain specific stimuli. This conscious control extends towards the development of its application in specific situations and skills. Learning more complex versions of these skills allows forming more refined self-regulation over years (Werner, 1957). Children during age 4-7 years, develop the regulatory skillset to establish inhibitory control, attention control, set-shifting, and develop working memory. These processes were called core regulatory processes (Bailey and Jones, 2019). These processes develop in a new way for every new skill or activity that a child engages in and help develop self-regulation specific to that situation. For example, self-regulatory behavior in a classroom by a child would be different than the one he displays at the playground. The disparity in the development of these individual processes specific to a skill or situation is the reason why a child might be more successfully regulating the behavior in a certain situation better than others, for example when they are hungry. The kind of interaction that the child has with his or her environment with a developing prefrontal cortex ensures maximum self-regulation.
The importance of having strong Self-Regulation
Building strong self-regulatory behavior helps children to control their impulsive behavior during playing and play according to rules. This prevents them from reacting spontaneously and react in a more mediated manner. Continuous interaction allows the child to learn verbal self-regulation while resolving differences and communicating with partners or peers. Studies show that self-regulation, when developed early in life, has positive effects on the health and well-being of an individual.
A study conducted on prekindergarten children revealed that there was a significant difference in their academic achievement between the start of the year and its end after children learned self-regulatory behavior in pre-kindergartens. Once children learn to manage and regulate their emotions, behaviors, and cognitions, it becomes easy for them to gain maximum out of their education. They are able to extract better outcomes from the learning provided at school and in classrooms. Instead of focusing on uncomfortable emotions, they are able to focus on learning and relaxing.
Adaptability and growth mindset when introduced in the early years of education allows them to have better-developed self-esteem. Instead of giving up, the children like to try newer skills and activities. They are able to regulate the anxiety and thoughts associated with a difficult task and focus on practicing more to gain the required skills. The constant push for motivation is provided by the development of strong self-regulation (Blair & Diamond 2008).