Self-Regulation

Self-regulation is defined as an individual’s capacity to regulate his or her behaviors, emotions, and cognitions. Self-regulation has recently emerged as an important construct across the lifespan as it has been linked to a number of outcomes, including social-emotional development, school readiness, academic achievement, and long-term health and well-being. Many children and adults who have intellectual and/or developmental disorders demonstrate difficulties in self-regulation skills. This entry describes the development of self-regulation and its various correlates, the measurement of self-regulation, risk factors, and interventions that target self-regulation.

The Development of Self-Regulation

Self-regulation begins to develop in early infancy. During this stage, parents play an active role in externally regulating infants to meet their physical and emotional needs. For example, when an infant cries, a sensitive parent identifies the ...

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