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 Self-regulation covers a lot of things that kids need to succeed
inside and outside the classroom, ranging from the ability to have
positive interactions with others, the capacity to avoid
inappropriate or aggressive actions, and the ability to carry out
self-directed learning. Cognitive processes contributing to
self-regulation are often referred to as "executive function" and
can include impulse control as well as the ability to direct or
focus attention, adapt flexibly to changes, and retain information.
For the current study, researchers examined data from 49 previously
published studies with a total of more than 23,000 children and
teens who were randomly selected to receive an intervention to
improve self-regulation or join a control group that didn't get this
help.
Most of the interventions were associated with improvements in kids'
ability to appropriately adjust their behavior and emotional
responses to fit different situations, researchers report in JAMA
Pediatrics. While many things appeared helpful, the most effective
approach involved training teachers to incorporate self-regulation
education into their routine classroom activities.
"Self-regulation skills can be a powerful predictor of positive
health, educational, financial and social outcomes," said lead study
author Dr. Anuja Pandey of the Great Ormond Street Institute of
Child Health at the University College of London in the UK.
"While interventions to improve self-regulation mostly target
pre-school and primary school age, our study findings show that such
interventions can be effective even during adolescence, thus
providing an extended window of opportunity to improve
self-regulation," Pandey said by email.
Children and teens who struggle with self-regulation may be prone to
behavioral problems and emotional outbursts that make it hard for
them to maintain friendships, enjoy sports and other group
activities, and meet academic expectations in school. These kids can
also have difficulties concentrating on tasks and lose interest in
daily activities.
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Researchers found consistent improvements in self-regulation in 16
of 21 interventions that were incorporated into school curriculums,
making this the most successful approach.
However, many other options worked at least some of the time,
including four of six exercise-based interventions, four of eight
yoga and mindfulness interventions, and four of six interventions
targeting social and personal skills.
In some instances, these interventions were also associated with
improved academic achievement and reductions in substance abuse,
school suspensions, depression, conduct disorders and behavioral
problems.
One limitation of the study is that the many smaller experiments
included in the analysis tested a wide variety of approaches and had
different ways of measuring any improvements in self-regulation, the
authors note.
Another drawback is that even though study participants ranged in
age from two to 17 years old, the average age was six, and few of
the studies focused on older children and teens.
Still, parents should be encouraged by the results, which suggest
that self-regulation is a teachable skill and that many approaches
to these lessons may work, said Laurence Steinberg, author of an
accompanying editorial and a researcher at Temple University in
Philadelphia.
"What's surprising is that so many different types of activity -
meditation, physical exercise, yoga, executive function training
programs - are reasonably effective," Steinberg said by email.
"This matters for parents because it indicates that there may be
different routes to the same goal, and that parents ought to be able
to find some approach that suits their child," Steinberg added.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2HSp3kg JAMA Pediatrics, online April 16,
2018.
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