{"id":2993,"date":"2021-01-06T20:02:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T20:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ralla.fi\/what-is-childs-self-regulation-and-what-does-its-development-require\/"},"modified":"2025-09-30T17:43:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T17:43:29","slug":"what-is-childs-self-regulation-and-what-does-its-development-require","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ralla.fi\/en\/what-is-childs-self-regulation-and-what-does-its-development-require\/","title":{"rendered":"What is child’s self-regulation and what does its development require?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Jouni Veijalainen, PhD, works at the Faculty of Education, University of Helsinki, and teaches and lectures on child upbringing, psychological development and well-being around Finland. In his doctoral dissertation, he has examined how children’s different skills, emotional expressions and the coping mechanisms they describe are anchored in assessed self-regulation skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The article has been previously published in Finnish at Tutkittua varhaiskasvatuksesta blogissa.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As guest Jouni Veijalainen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Self-regulation skills in young children are one of the most pressing topics in both general discussion and scientific research today. Its relevance has been boosted by the explosive increase in research in recent years, as well as the concerns of early childhood education and school personnel in the media about the increased restlessness, self-control, and emotional regulation of children and adolescents2,3,4. In her blog post for this column on October 19, 2018 (Miten voimme tukea lapsen itses\u00e4\u00e4telytaitojen kehittymist\u00e4<\/a>), Merja Hautakangas focused on the development of self-regulation skills in young children from the perspective of the quality factors of the interaction between the educator and the child, while also challenging Fuhrman’s muksuoppi ideology, whose philosophy is based on learnable skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this sketch, I aim to introduce the concept of self-regulation and its interactional, biological and developmental psychological foundations. I will examine what kind of developmental and educational issues we should focus our attention on, both in early childhood education and beyond. These are considerations that I have partly had to weigh in my own doctoral dissertation examining children’s self-regulation skills 5<\/a>,6<\/a>,7<\/a>, and especially as a father on the home front. What is self-regulation? What kinds of components does self-regulation consist of? How are biological and environmentally mediated processes related to the development of self-regulation and what is the relationship between them? In early childhood education, it is essential to find a common consensus on these questions, which will help to broaden a deeper understanding of children’s self-regulation mechanisms and develop high-quality pedagogy to support it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Definition<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The conceptual challenge of self-regulation lies in its diversity, as it is complex and multifaceted in structure 8,9<\/sup>. Researchers often examine it from different perspectives, and a key issue in its definition is whether it refers to, for example, emotional or cognitive activity, or whether the definition includes both. For example, emotional self-regulation can be defined as a person\u2019s conscious or unconscious ability, skill, or strategy to modify, inhibit, or increase emotional experiences or expressions 10<\/sup>. Cognitive self-regulation is defined as a person\u2019s conscious ability to plan, monitor, and regulate cognitive processes, such as thinking and executive control, so that it enables flexible attention, working memory, and inhibition of action 11,12<\/sup>. In addition, it is of paramount importance to recognize that self-regulation is not just a psychological system through which a child tries to restrain and inhibit himself (impulse control and self-control). Self-regulation also helps the child elevate emotional and cognitive functions to the level set by the environment or the individual. This is evident, for example, when the child is able to arouse feelings of joy and curiosity in themselves despite situational adversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-regulation is not a process whose ultimate growth potential can be achieved at any stage of life. It is a learned skill, the manifestation of which is also essentially linked to situational factors, as well as the child’s psychological and physical resources. A child’s ability to regulate their own emotions or concentration may vary significantly between the home and early childhood education contexts, and challenging life situations in families place a strain on a child’s self-regulation. The importance of rest and nutrition for self-regulation is certainly concrete in every family with children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The development of self-regulation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Human psychological characteristics are often mistakenly perceived as either biologically inherited or as skills shaped by the environment. Such a dichotomous either-or division is old-fashioned and should be abandoned. A child is not a prisoner of his genes when it comes to self-regulation or other psychological characteristics. Many of a child\u2019s genetic characteristics are based on epigenetics: the environment can either activate or deactivate inherited psychological or physical characteristics 13,14<\/sup>. And although the temperamental traits underlying self-regulation have been considered permanent characteristics, their manifestations can nevertheless experience variation over time 15,16,17,18<\/sup>. Temperament cannot be valued, and in the differences linked to the temperament of self-regulation (effortful control), the importance of how the appropriate environment is created for them (goodness of fit vs. poorness of fit) in early childhood education becomes essential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is true that the fundamental basis of self-regulation is created by the brain\u2019s maturation process 19<\/sup>, which is why the most intensive period of development of self-regulation is precisely in early childhood 20,21<\/sup>. However, the brain and the self-regulation latent in it do not mature in a vacuum, but need a supportive and favorable growth environment, especially interaction with others, to develop. Whether it is a question of neurological, developmental psychological or genetic factors of self-regulation, the relationship with the environment always acts as a catalyst for development and manifestation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWhen a child is able to regulate themselves, they unconsciously support the self-regulation of other children in the group, the structures of interaction situations, commitment to activities, following rules, waiting their turn, and learning in general.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Although the environment and interaction activate the child\u2019s self-regulation development processes, we cannot speed up certain periods of its development. It is important for early childhood education staff to be aware of the different aspects of self-regulation, how they begin to develop at slightly different rates in children, and how they support each other. For example, a child\u2019s emotional regulation begins to develop before behavioral regulation 22<\/g>, which is why the ability of children under three years of age to regulate their behavior, such as speech and motor skills, simultaneously is often challenging 23,24,25<\/g>. Emotional regulation supports the development of a child\u2019s behavioral regulation, as, for example, maintaining positive emotions and frustration tolerance commit the child to focus on their behavior by completing their actions in a sustained manner 22<\/sup>. The ability to control actions, which is part of self-regulation, is also challenging for children under three years of age, while 4-5 year olds are already clearly better able to plan, select, and initiate actions 26<\/sup>. We cannot assume or demand from children skills and abilities that they do not have the maturity to develop. These are processes that can be supported, but not accelerated. Despite the developmental stages of self-regulation, it is essential to recognize that a child can experience challenges in any area, regardless of their age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although self-regulation consists of different components, together they form a holistic and dynamic structure, the tensions of which support each other. In early childhood education, it would be good to be aware of this on a practical level: by strengthening the child’s cognitive regulation, for example by supporting the child’s attention, executive control and problem-solving skills, the development of the child’s emotional regulation is also promoted. Correspondingly, as the child learns to identify and regulate his emotions, he is better able to engage in activities that require attention and concentration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To support development<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Interaction-based support of children\u2019s self-regulation skills, or co-regulation, is based on the idea of \u200b\u200bsensitive support provided by adults 27,28<\/sup>. The idea of \u200b\u200bco-regulation has its roots in Vygotsky\u2019s view of the zone of proximal development, in which a child\u2019s self-regulation is supported at a higher level by an adult. The support provided by an adult for the development of self-regulation skills is of course of paramount importance. However, less attention has been paid to how children can unconsciously support and shape each other\u2019s regulatory processes in a socially shared environment (other-regulation) 27,29<\/sup>. When a child is able to regulate himself, he also unconsciously supports the self-regulation, structures of interaction situations, commitment to action, following rules, waiting for turns, and learning in general of other children in the group.<\/strong> Self-regulation is therefore a somewhat misleading concept, linguistically speaking, as a child rarely regulates only himself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In early childhood education, self-regulation can be supported with numerous games and activities in which the child has to control his or her own actions. For example, in classic games like Captain Commands or Traffic Lights, the child is exposed to a chain of events involving attention, working memory (following the rules), action inhibition and executive control. In addition, the importance of reading should not be forgotten, as it promotes concentration and calmness as well as the child’s language development, which serves as a significant tool for self-regulation. How we as adults meet the child, what kind of verbal and nonverbal messages we use to convey information about safety and compassion to the child, and how we support the child by verbalizing their feelings and intentions, contribute to the child’s development of self-regulation. Such encounters should be a given in everyday early childhood education. However, the current challenge in terms of the development of self-regulation is the drift from child-centered education towards a child-led model, which emphasizes a blurred understanding of the child’s early independence and the child’s ability to understand what is ultimately in their best interest or that of others. The development of a child’s self-regulation is facilitated by shared boundaries, rules and obligations set by educators. Not all of a child’s activities can \u2013 and should not \u2013 be fun. Certain things sometimes require effort and going outside their comfort zone. When a child does not have enough experiences that expose them to self-regulation skills, the obligations they inevitably encounter frustrate the child too much. A child’s independence cannot be accelerated by letting the child decide on things that would be the responsibility of an adult. The child’s excessive decision-making power and early independence expose the child to acting in the swamp of immediate pleasure and emotional choices, which results in less effort being put into long-term and often most meaningful matters. So let’s remember that self-regulation is a skill that only develops when you have to use it.<\/strong> We don’t smooth the path for children until it is obstacle-free, but we remember to guide the child over obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

1<\/sup>Whitebread, D. (2015). Self-regulation in young children: Its characteristics and the role of communication and language in its early development. In Whitebread, D., Mercer, N., Howe, C., & Tolmie, A. (Eds.), Self-regulation and dialogue in primary classrooms. British journal of educational psychology monograph series II: Psychological aspects of education \u2013 current trends, No. 10<\/em> (pp. 25\u201344). Leicester: BPS. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1348\/000000015815745239<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 <\/sup>Yle-uutiset (8.2.2017): Lasten levoton k\u00e4yt\u00f6s her\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 huolta p\u00e4iv\u00e4kodeissa \u2013 \u201dKoulutuksen kautta saadut keinot eiv\u00e4t pian en\u00e4\u00e4 riit\u00e4\u201d. Haettu osoitteesta https:\/\/yle.fi\/uutiset\/3-9446817<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 <\/sup>Yle-uutiset (7.1.2019): Opettajat Ylen kyselyss\u00e4: lasten keskittymiskyky on huonontunut selv\u00e4sti \u2013 Keskittymist\u00e4 pit\u00e4\u00e4 harjoitella, asiantuntija neuvoo miten. Haettu osoitteesta https:\/\/yle.fi\/uutiset\/3-10569143<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 <\/sup>Yle-uutiset (8.7.2019): Tuhoaako \u00e4lypuhelin keskittymiskyvyn, mielenrauhan ja lapsen aivot? \u201cOn meneill\u00e4\u00e4n ihmiskoe\u201d. Haettu osoitteesta https:\/\/yle.fi\/uutiset\/3-10862591<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 <\/sup>Veijalainen, J., Reunamo, J., & Alijoki, A. (2017). Children\u2019s self-regulation skills in the Finnish day care environment. Journal of Early Childhood Education Research, 6<\/em>(1), 89-107. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 <\/sup>Veijalainen, J., Reunamo, J., & Heikkil\u00e4, M. (2019). Early gender differences in emotional expressions and self-regulation in settings of early childhood education and care. Early Child Development and Care, 1-4. doi.org\/10.1080\/03004430.2019.1611045<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 <\/sup>Veijalainen, J., Reunamo, J., Sajaniemi, N., & Suhonen, E. (2019). Children\u2019s self-regulation and coping strategies in a frustrated context in early education. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 9<\/em>(1), 1-8. doi.org\/10.4102\/sajce.v9i1.724<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 <\/sup>Montroy, J. J., Bowles, R. P., Skibbe, L. E., McClelland, M. M., & Morrison, F. J. (2016). The development of self-regulation across early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 52<\/em>(11), 1744\u20131762. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9 <\/sup>Blair, C., & Raver, C. C. (2012). Child development in the context of adversity: experiential canalization of brain and behavior. American Psychologist, 67<\/em>(4), 309. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 <\/sup>Calkins, S.D., & Leerkes E.M. (2011). Early Attachment Processes and the Development of Emotional Self-Regulation. Teoksessa Vohs, K.D. & Baumeister R.F. (toim.), Handbook of Self-regulation: Research, Theory, and Applications<\/em> (s. 355-373). New York, NY: Guilford Press. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

11 <\/sup>Pintrich, P.R (2000). The role of goal orientation in self-regulated learning. Teoksessa Boekaerts M, Pintrich, P.R & Zeider, M. (toim.), Handbook of self-regulation<\/em>, (s. 451-502) New York, Academic Press. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

12 <\/sup>Fuhs, M. W., Farran, D. C., & Nesbitt, K. T. (2013). Preschool classroom processes as predictors of children\u2019s cognitive self-regulation skills development. School Psychology Quarterly, 28<\/em>(4), 347. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

13 <\/sup>Bjorklund, D. F. (2006). Mother knows best: Epigenetic inheritance, maternal effects, and the evolution of human intelligence. Developmental Review, 26<\/em>(2), 213-242. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

14 <\/sup>Cunliffe, V. T. (2016). The epigenetic impacts of social stress: how does social adversity become biologically embedded?. Epigenomics, 8<\/em>(12), 1653-1669.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15 <\/sup>Wills, T. A., Sandy, J. M., & Yaeger, A. (2000). Temperament and adolescent substance use: An epigenetic approach to risk and protection. Journal of Personality, 68<\/em>(6), 1127-1151. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

16 <\/sup>Meaney, M. J. (2010). Epigenetics and the biological definition of gene\u00d7 environment interactions. Child development, 81<\/em>(1), 41-79. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

17 <\/sup>Josefsson, K., Jokela, M., Hintsanen, M., Cloninger, C. R., Pulkki-R\u00e5back, L., Merjonen, P., Hutri-K\u00e4h\u00f6nen, N. & Keltikangas-J\u00e4rvinen, L. (2013) Parental care-giving and home environment predicting offspring\u2019s temperament and character traits after 18 years. Psychiatry Research, 209<\/em>(3), 643\u2013651.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18 <\/sup>Rothbart, M. K. (2011). Becoming Who We Are<\/em>. New York: The Guilford Press. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

19 <\/sup>Ylvisaker, M., & Feeney, T. (2008). Helping children without making them helpless: Facilitating development of executive self-regulation in children and adolescents. Teoksessa Anderson, V. & Jacobs, R. & Anderson, P.J. (toim.) Executive Functions and the Frontal Lobes: A lifespan Perspective<\/g> (s. 410-433). Psychology Press. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

20 <\/sup>Montroy, J. J., Bowles, R. P., Skibbe, L. E., McClelland, M. M., & Morrison, F. J. (2016). The development of self-regulation across early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 52<\/em>(11), 1744\u20131762. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

21 <\/sup>Raffaelli, M., Crockett, L. J., & Shen, Y. L. (2005). Developmental stability and change in self-regulation from childhood to adolescence. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 166<\/em>(1), 54-76. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

22 <\/sup>Howse, R. B., Calkins, S. D., Anastopoulos, A. D., Keane, S. P., & Shelton, T. L. (2003). Regulatory contributors to children\u2019s kindergarten achievement. Early Education and Development, 14<\/em>(1), 101-120. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

23 <\/sup>Carlson, S. M., Moses, L. J., & Breton, C. (2002). How specific is the relation between executive function and theory of mind? Contributions of inhibitory control and working memory. Infant and Child Development: An International Journal of Research and Practice, 11<\/em>(2), 73-92. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

24 <\/sup>Diamond, A. (2002). Normal development of prefrontal cortex from birth to young adulthood: Cognitive functions, anatomy, and biochemistry. Principles of frontal lobe function<\/em>, 466-503. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

25 <\/sup>Zelazo, P. D., M\u00fcller, U., Frye, D., Marcovitch, S., Argitis, G., Boseovski, J., Chiang, J.K., Hongwanishkul, D., Schuster, B.V., Sutherland, A., & Carlson, S. M. (2003). The development of executive function in early childhood. Monographs of the society for research in child development<\/em>, i-151. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

26 <\/sup>Koivunen, P-L. & Lehtinen, T. (2015). Kasvu kiikarissa: havainnoinnin k\u00e4sikirja 6 varhaiskasvattajille<\/em>. Jyv\u00e4skyl\u00e4: PS-kustannus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

27 <\/sup>Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. (2007). Tools of the Mind: The Vygotskian Approach to Early Childhood Education<\/em>. Columbus, OH, Pearson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

28 <\/sup>Suhonen, E., Sajaniemi, N. K., Alijoki, A., & Nislin, M. A. (2018). Children\u2019s biological givens, stress responses, language and cognitive abilities and family background after entering kindergarten in toddlerhood. Early Child Development and Care, 188<\/em>(3), 345-358. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

29 <\/sup>Hodapp, R. M., & Goldfield, E. C. (1985). Self- and other regulation during the infancy period. Developmental review, 5<\/em>(3), 274\u2013288. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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