Adolescence, a time marked by emotional difficulties and the development of regulatory brain circuitry, is when emotion regulation skills significantly develop.
As teenagers mature, there is typically:
· A decreased reliance on parental support for emotion regulation
· Limited initial efficacy of internal emotion regulation strategies
· Gradual improvement in managing emotional experiences through internal regulatory strategies
Importance for Mental Health
Adolescence is a risk period for the onset of anxiety and depressive disorders, which have long been associated with disruptions in regulation of both positive and negative emotions
Failure to effectively regulate emotions in response to stressors may confer risk for mental health problems during this critical developmental period
Effective Interventions
Several interventions have shown promise in improving adolescents' emotion regulation skills:
Mindfulness-Based Programs
The Learning to BREATHE (L2B) program, a mindfulness-based curriculum for high school students, has demonstrated success in:
· Reducing negative affect
· Improving emotion regulation
· Increasing use of cognitive reappraisal strategies
Emotion Regulation Education
Programs focusing on emotion regulation education have shown positive outcomes:
· A six-week course teaching middle school students to recognize, label, and regulate emotions led to reduced sexual health risks
· Such interventions appear to promote healthier decision-making in adolescents
Strategies for Supporting Adolescent Emotion Regulation
Recent research suggests several effective approaches:
1. Encouraging pausing and deep breathing when emotions rise
2. Asking about the "why" behind emotional reactions
3. Promoting positive self-talk and challenging negative thoughts
4. Introducing journaling as a tool for emotional processing
5. Helping teens find positive outlets like sports, art and youth clubs
Role of Co-Regulation
Studies emphasize the importance of "co-regulation," where adults provide support for optimal self-regulation through:
· Warm and responsive interactions
· Coaching and modeling of self-regulation skills
· Structuring the environment to make self-regulation manageable
This co-regulation approach is particularly crucial for youth who have self-regulation difficulties due to individual characteristics or adverse childhood experiences
References
Young, K. S., Sandman, C. F., & Craske, M. G. (2019). Positive and negative emotion regulation in adolescence: Links to anxiety and depression. Brain Sciences, 9(4), 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci9040076
National Scientific Council on Adolescence. (n.d.). Decision-making & emotional regulation. UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent. https://developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/core-science-of-adolescence/decision-making-emotional-regulation
Morrish, L., Rickard, N., Chin, T. C., & Vella-Brodrick, D. A. (2018). Emotion regulation in adolescent well-being and positive education. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19(5), 1543–1564. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-017-9881-y
Murray, D. W., Rosanbalm, K., Christopoulos, C., & Hamoudi, A. (2015). Self-regulation and toxic stress: A review of ecological, biological, and developmental studies of self-regulation and their implications for policy. Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University.
https://fpg.unc.edu/sites/fpg.unc.edu/files/resources/reports-and-policy-briefs/Co-RegulationFromBirthThroughYoungAdulthood.pdf