Emotional Regulation (Dysregulation)
A student who is emotionally dysregulated may...
- have emotional responses that are out of sync with the situation
- over-react
- be persistently irritable (not necessarily "over" when the situation is done)
- have bursts of intense anger
- exaggerate
- cry
- feel like "it" is not going to be manageable
- become passive
- seem like a high conflict personality
- have had their experience reinforced by past situations or people (i.e., test days, a push in support staff, etc.)
When supporting a student who is emotionally dysregulated, some general strategies involve
- recognize that emotions drive behavior
- talk about emotions in the classroom
- prime or preview events
- be patient
- reflect the emotion that may be involved
- avoid "cornering" a student in a situation or trivializing feelings (it's not that bad)
- check in frequently
- structured/predictable environment
- have clear expectations/directions--avoid ambiguity, but be flexible
- do not overstate the consequences
Interventions may include
- calm down corner/quiet spaces
- gather data/track when situations happen--can you identify a trigger to address
- reduce academic pressure/demand--set a goal for emotional regulation
- identify a safe person in the school to go to
- intervene early (rather than using frequently applied strategies such as planned ignoring or tools such as 3 before me...)
- yoga/mindfulness breaks--breathing activities
- brain breaks
- 5 point scales
- calm down kits
Literature Links
How to be a Superhero Called Self-Control by Lauren Bruknew
Finn Throws a Fit by David Elliott
When I am Feeling Angry by Trace Moroney
If You're Angry and You Know it by Cecily Kaiser
I Hate Everything by Sue Graves
Teacher Readings