Major focus area

Speech Therapy -> Self-regulation

Short description

In order to support a child in learning to self-regulate, a hierarchy of support is used: extrinsic regulation, mutual regulation, visual reminder, verbal reminder, offer choices, ask about needs, and self regulation.

Long description

Emotional regulation is the ability to influence and change how we respond to an emotion. Difficulty with emotional regulation can result in difficulty engaging in social interactions and play. Because emotional regulation follows a developmental hierarchy from external regulation (someone else regulating their body to help the child) to self-regulation, it is often helpful for the therapist to use a hierarchy of support: extrinsic regulation (the adult regulates their body as a model for the child), mutual regulation (the adult engages in regulation activities with the child), visual reminder (provide a visual remind of a strategy the child can use), verbal reminder (provide a verbal reminder of a strategy the child can use), offer choices (give the child the opportunity to make a choice regarding a regulation activity), ask about needs (the adult asks the child what they need), and self regulation (the child self-regulates independently). References: Kopp, C. B., (1982). Antecedents of self-regulation: A developmental perspective. Developmental Psychology, 18(2), 199-214 & Howland, K. (2014). Developing executive control skills in preschool children with language impairment. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 21(2), 51-60. doi.org/10.1044/lle21.2.51.