Uppeldi og menntun - 01.07.2012, Side 40

Uppeldi og menntUn/icelandic JoUrnal of edUcation 21(2) 201240
SJÁlfStJÓrnUn barna og Ungmenna
The vast changes that occur in self-regulatory behaviors from birth through
adolescence are described. During the first months of life, physiological, cognitive,
and emotional processes are mostly regulated by the child’s caregiver. As an example,
an infant cannot regulate his or her own emotional state (e.g., crying) without the
support of a caregiver (e.g., stroking and holding). As the child grows older, regulation
becomes increasingly internalized and he or she can better control his or her own
emotional state and behaviors. By the time a child enters preschool, he or she has
achieved considerable control over emotions (such as avoiding tantrums), cognition
(such as maintaining attention), and behaviors (such as inhibiting a response). In
adolescence, capacities for more complex, long-term regulatory processes, often
labeled intentional self-regulation, continue to grow. Such an ability to regulate
the self in accordance with distant, often abstract, goals, has been proposed to be a
uniquely human trait that has contributed to the success of the species and which
distinguishes the behaviors of people from other animals. When discussing changes in
self-regulation in childhood and adolescence, the author considers the physical (e.g.,
brain development), psychological (e.g., self-identity), and contextual (e.g., parenting)
processes that contribute to the development of self-regulatory skills.
Findings of studies that provide links between self-regulatory behaviors and
positive developmental outcomes, as well as problematic behaviors, are reviewed. In
particular, a growing body of research, which shows that behavioral self-regulation is
a crucial learning-related skill for early school adjustment, will be described. Consequent
studies have also demonstrated that early self-regulatory skills contribute to academic
success later in childhood and in adolescence. Although the study of self-regulation
in adolescence is a less developed field than that of self-regulation among younger
children, findings are discussed that provide an association between self-regulatory
skills in adolescence, on one hand, and indicators of healthy development (e.g.,
academic performance) and problem behaviors (e.g., risk behaviors) on the other. In
addition, recent studies on self-regulation that have been conducted with Icelandic
children and youth will be reviewed. Special emphasis will be placed on describing the
role of self-regulation for the successful adjustment to the school context and academic
success.
Studies providing evidence for the importance of self-regulatory skills for significant
developmental outcomes, such as school adjustment and academic success, have led to
an increased interest of policymakers in the U.S. and Europe in making the support of
self-regulation a major goal of early childhood education. Furthermore, these studies
have prompted the development of educational practices and interventions that support
the development of children’s self-regulatory behaviors. The author discusses recent
experimental research that describes interventions aimed at supporting self-regulatory
skills of young children and provides support for the successful implementation of
such interventions. Finally, the implications of the current article for applied work,
especially for preschool education, and continuing research in Iceland are considered.
It is the author’s hope that the article will promote understanding, among research-
ers, practitioners, and policy makers in Iceland, of the construct of self-regulation and
its importance to the well-being of children and youth.