Emotional Self-regulation - Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology

The emergence of emotional regulation is a slow gradual process over the course of development. At first, the child relies heavily on mediation from external parties, such as the primary caregiver, to co-regulate his or her emotions, such as when an upset infant requires the attentive mother to calm them down. By 6 months of age, researchers believe infants show the first signs of emotional self-regulation, likely as a result of "downloading", or internalizing, their caregivers' emotional regulation "programs". At this age, they can self-soothe and also self-distract to avoid what has upset them. Between ages 1–2, children distract themselves from distressing stimuli by averting attention more and more. By then end of the first year, infants begin to adopt new strategies to decrease negative arousal. These strategies can include rocking themselves, chewing on objects, or moving away from things that upset them. Toddlers this young have also been observed attempting to suppress anger or sadness by knitting their brow or compressing their lips. However, one thing that toddlers find near impossible to regulate is fear. As a result of this, they often find ways to express fear in a way that attracts the comfort and attention of caregivers. Over the years, children increasingly manage negative emotions by talking with others and negotiating ways to resolve situations, showing sophistication in emotion regulation. Studies have shown that the development of ER is affected by the emotional regulation children observe in parents and caretakers, the emotional climate in the home, and the reaction of parents and caretakers to the child's emotions For example, with preschoolers, parents (or other close companions) help teach self-regulation methods by distracting children from unpleasant events (like a vaccination shot) or helping them understand frightening events. Regulation of emotions can also be important in the development of morality in children. An example of this can be when parents bring attention to (and try to promote) the uneasiness a child feels after they (the child) hurt somebody or break a rule. In this case, they parent wants the child to sympathize with the person to which they have caused distress while at the same time feel guilty about their actions (so that they are less likely to repeat them). One unfortunate finding however is that children who are frequently exposed to negative emotion at home (regardless of whether it is directed at them or not) often display high levels of negative emotion which they have difficulty regulating.

It has been suggested by some that neurological changes confer such maturity in regulation over the course of development, particularly maturation of the frontal lobes, thought to be essential for managing attention and inhibiting thoughts and behaviors.