Chapter 3: Self-Regulation and Experience on the Brain
ECE5J Course Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of repeated experiences, variety and nurturing relationships on the brain’s development.
- Examine the factors that impact on brain development.
Stress is a word we may use to describe how a person is feeling. For example, “I am so stressed out, I think they are stressed, or I thrive on stress.” Understanding the definition of stress helps us to see the relationship between stress and self-regulation. “Stress causes us to burn energy to try to remain at our functional best” (Shanker, 2024).
Watch the video Self-Reg in 60 Seconds: What is Stress?
Video: “Self-Reg in 60 Seconds: What is Stress?” by The MEHRIT Centre [1:14] is licensed under the Standard YouTube License.Transcript and closed captions available on YouTube.
At its core, self-regulation refers to the manner in which a child recovers from spending the energy required to deal with stressors. Prolonged and excessive stress (allostatic overload) can put a child into fight or flight, or freeze, which greatly affects “higher” functions such as language, social cognition, executive functions and, indeed, self-control (Shanker, 2021a).
The ability to self-regulate is related to our ability to manage our stressors. When the stress load for a child is too high, we often see behaviours that we might conclude to be misbehaviour. We must reframe the way we look at a child’s behaviour to understand the difference between stress behaviour and misbehaviour.
Misbehaviour vs. Stress Behaviour
Stress behaviour is caused by a stress load that is too high.
Image Description
The prefrontal Cortex (blue brain) is “running the show”.
- Could have acted differently.
- Was aware that they should not have done “it”.
- Was completely capable of acting differently.
The limbic system (red brain) is “running the show.”
- Not fully aware of what they are doing.
- Or not fully aware of why they are doing it.
- Has limited capacity to act differently
What are Stressors?
A stressor is “anything that causes a brain-body stress response” (The MEHRIT Centre., n.d.).
Stressors …
- change from day to day
- amplify or reduce
- are unique
- are both observable and hidden.
We can support the development of self-regulation in young children by helping them understand their stressors.
Enhancing self-regulation by understanding and dealing with stress. In Self-Reg, we consider our responses to stress and how stress affects our ability to maintain a healthy energy/tension balance. Self-Reg looks at stress across five domains: biological, emotional, cognitive, social, and prosocial (Shanker, 2021a).
Read, Reflect & Reimagine
Stress Collection Jar
What if we could collect our stressors in a jar?
- What would your jar look like?
- Think about a child who is displaying challenging behaviours. What stressors might fill the child’s jar?
Each stress collection jar would be filled with different stressors.
Image Description
An open jar containing balls of stress that are labelled: school washroom, bus ride, wet socks, new pet, scratchy shirt tag, scents, too hot,
Read, Reflect & Reimagine
Review the article: The Self-Reg Framework: The Five Domains of Stress
Spend some time reading about the domains and exploring the stressors graphics for each of the five domains.
- Can you relate to these?
- Were you surprised to see stressors that you have never considered to be a stressor?
- Did you note any positive stressors?
Heightened stress in any or all of these domains leads to problems in behaviour, mood, learning, and overall development. Identifying and reducing children’s stressors is the first step towards easing their stress levels and bringing them back to a calm and focused state, and ultimately improving their ability to self-regulate (Shanker, 2021a).
Supporting the development of self-regulation in young children requires us to observe children and begin to recognize the signs of stress behaviours.
We have to learn to think about the possible stressors behind the behaviour before we react to the behaviour.
Growing Activity
What’s in your jar?
This exercise gives you a tangible opportunity to recognize your stressors in each of the five domains.
- Find a jar with a lid.
- Record your stressors on individual pieces of paper.
- Add each paper to your stress collection jar.
- After you are complete, reflect on your own stress jar.
- Are you surprised at how many there are?
- How can you help reduce your own stressors?
