Self-regulation: What Is It And How Can We Enhance It?
Although sometimes we do not realize it, in almost everything we do we are managing what we do.
We feel anger and we express it or not depending on the situation, we assess whether or not to say something to someone, we choose one way or another of acting to achieve a goal, we postpone obtaining immediate satisfaction to achieve a greater one later… We are talking about self-regulation. In this article we are going to do a brief analysis of what this concept entails.
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We can understand self-regulation or self-control as the ability or set of processes that we carry out in order to successfully manage ourselves. This ability allows us to analyze the environment and respond accordingly, being able to change our actions or perspective if necessary. Definitely, It allows us to direct our thoughts, emotions and behavior towards the correct adaptation in the environment and the fulfillment of our desires and expectations based on contextual circumstances.
Self-regulation not only occurs at a behavioral level, but we also apply it when we manage our thoughts, emotions and ability to motivate ourselves (an aspect with which it is widely linked).
The set of processes carried out are largely conscious, requiring the ability to self-monitor or guide one’s own behavior, self-evaluate or give a value judgment to one’s own performance, feelings or thoughts, self-direct or focus towards a goal and self-reinforce or obtain internal gratification upon achieving it or carrying out the behavior directed at it. Without these capabilities we would not be able to direct ourselves adaptively.
It is an ability that is not completely innate but rather develops and strengthens based on our learning and the circumstances and stimuli that are part of our lives. At a biological level it largely corresponds to the development of the frontal lobe, and especially the prefrontal lobe.
An alteration or delay in said development will cause greater difficulty when regulating one’s own behavior. But the presence of connections between this area and other structures such as the limbic system, the basal ganglia or the cerebellum is also essential.
Main elements that influence self-regulation
The concept of self-regulation includes a broad category of different skills, which may include the capacity for behavioral inhibition, monitoring of one’s own activity, mental flexibility, self-evaluation, motivation, or setting and following plans, being part of it. a wide number of executive functions.
The ability to think about one’s own thinking or metacognition also influences the capacity for self-regulation, the perception of control over situations, expectations and the perception of self-efficacy. It is facilitated and depends largely on the self-instructions that we give ourselves and allow us to guide ourselves. The anticipation of rewards or avoidance of punishments and their characteristics will also participate in said self-regulation.
Related disorders and injuries
Self-regulation allows us to manage our own activity and make it adaptive, which is essential for our correct functioning in society. The fact that we cannot regulate ourselves correctly will generate problems such as difficulties when starting or stopping carrying out a certain behavior, identifying factors such as the need to change strategies, generalized slowdown, lower level of effectiveness and productivity and difficulties in maintaining fixed or force the change of attentional focus.
An example of a disorder or problem in which there is a decrease in the ability to self-regulate is ADHD, in which the subject presents difficulties when focusing attention or controlling his or her own behavior. or autism spectrum disorders (in which there are difficulties managing emotions and facing changes, in addition to social and communication deficiencies). Alterations in self-regulation also occur in other mental disorders, such as impulse control disorders, anxiety or affective disorders. Also in schizophrenia.
Likewise, self-regulation problems are also found in those subjects who have lesions in the frontal lobe, especially with regard to the prefrontal. In dementia, head trauma, brain tumors or strokes that affect the prefrontal and/or its connections.
How to increase it
In those cases in which the capacity for self-regulation is poorly adaptive or has not been fully developed, it may be very useful to carry out different practices to increase it.
In this sense, the type of activities, treatments and therapies to be applied will depend on the reasons for the lack of self-regulation, its consequences or where the main deficit is located. Training and facilitating the use of metacognition and reflection, postponement of judgment and the generation of alternatives or emotional education is usually recommended. Modeling and the use of self-instructions is also very useful. In some cases, the presentation of adjusted aid may be necessary to combat existing limitations.
An example of a therapy based on this is Rehm’s self-control therapy, typically used in cases of depression. Other therapeutic elements to use could include training in social skills and assertiveness or problem solving, as well as occupational therapy.
