Target emotion regulation skills in middle and high school youth to close the gap between emotional and cognitive control systems¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The brief's second guideline states that, given the gap between adolescents' emotional and cognitive control systems in the brain, it is important to target emotion regulation skills for middle and high school age youth. It recommends "Teaching emotion regulation skills such as accepting or managing negative feelings" so adolescents can better balance their emotions. When thoughts and emotions work together, the brief states, this supports more effective decision-making, problem-solving, and goal achievement. This responds to the review's finding that existing programs need a greater focus on emotional regulation.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Programs should systematically teach cognitive and emotional regulation skills and their integration with ongoing coaching, reinforcement, and support, rather than being broad and diffuse.

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• Middle and high school age youth

Target Learning Goals¶

• Emotion regulation, including managing distress and strong negative emotions and fostering empathy and compassion for self and others

Related Strategies¶

• Provide self-regulation interventions at varying levels and intensity matched to youth context and needs
• Integrate family and school contexts in interventions and promote adolescent academic self-regulation to support the high school transition

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Murray, D. W. & Rosanbalm, K. (2017). Promoting Self-Regulation in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Practice Brief. OPRE Report #2015-82. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/self-regulation-and-toxic-stress-implications-for-programs-and-practice