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Email UpdatesTeaching Emotional Regulation to Children with Autism
Emotional Regulation, Uncategorized Comments (1)
Some children with autism have difficulty expressing and responding to their emotions. Sometimes their emotions can be disproportionate to the sitution (i.e. small problem = big emotions). Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders as an Executive Functioning Disorder can be helpful in understanding difficulties with emotional regulation. Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders must directly be taught emotional regulation skills in order to develop appropriate responding and control of their own emotions.
Consider the following objectives related to teaching emotional regulation:
1) First, teach your child to begin to identify when he/she is beginning to escalate up the “emotional continuum”. Children need to understand “pre-cursors” to their escalated behaviors, or “little” behaviors that typically lead to “big” behaviors. Ask yourself, what are small behaviors (i.e. pacing, escalated vocals, grinding teeth, non-compliancy, etc.) my child engages in that help me to predict a “bigger” behavior may occur? If you can list specific behaviors, you have identified pre-cursor behaviors to your child’s bigger, acting out behaviors. Once you have developed an understanding of your child’s pre-cursor behaviors you can begin to teach your child to identify when he/she is engaged in these “smaller”, pre-cursor behaviors.
2) After your child is able to accurately identify when he/she is engaged in “pre-cursor” behaviors (Ex: Can share with others he/she is starting to get upset because he/she is engaged in “pre-cursor” behaviors), then parents can begin to work with their child on identifying appropriate de-escalation strategies to assist in “draining” off the emotion, or engaging in de-escalated behaviors. For example, creating a place in the home to serve as a “de-escalating area” for your child. Parents can assist their child in going to this area when he/she is beginining to escalate emotionally. This strategy is different from a “time out” and should not be used punitively, rather as a means to safely and effectively “drain off” from escalated behaviors, before they get too big. Effective de-escalation strategies will vary from child to child. Find specific strategies that work for your child.
3) Once your child is effectively identifying when he/she is beginning to escalate and can engage in strategies that de-escalate him/her strategies need to be developed to assist your child in independently initiating the use of the de-escalation strategies without adult assistance.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders can develop appropriate emotional regulation skills, but many times must be taught these skills directly. It is important to begin teaching these skills early to assist in developing appropriate social skills and independent functioning.
AmyShymansky @ October 7, 2009