This annotated bibliography presents a plain language overview of seminal studies on youth self-regulation. Self-regulation refers to “people’s deliberate attempts to use, modify, or inhibit their own emotions, thoughts, and behaviours to reach their goals” (Weiner, Geldhof, & Gestsdottir, 2015, p. 21). Intentional Self-Regulation (ISR) is a type of advanced self-regulation that is especially relevant during adolescence, consisting of “actions that are actively aimed toward harmonizing demands in the person’s social and physical context with a person’s resources in order to attain better functioning and enhance self-development” (Weiner, Geldhof, & Gestsdottir, 2015, p. 23). In short, ISR skills maximize goal-directed behaviours that lead to positive future outcomes. Self-regulation has been strongly linked to positive youth development (PYD) (Weiner, Geldhof, & Gestsdottir, 2015).

The aim of this annotated bibliography is not to offer an exhaustive and comprehensive collection of all relevant studies. Instead, we present a modest introduction, designed for those seeking an overview of this complex topic, a refresher, or a resource upon which to build more detailed and nuanced knowledge.

This document was developed for professionals who contribute to the wellbeing and development of youth. This includes those who work directly with youth, such as mentors, educators, child and youth workers, social workers, and front-line staff in school-based and out-of-school youth programs. This resource will also be of interest to those who work indirectly with or for youth: youth mentoring program managers, school administrators, or youth researchers.

This bibliography emerged from our own internal research on positive youth development, conducted in the context of program measurement, improvement, and impact assessment efforts. It has helped Pathways to Education Canada better understand this complex field and translate our knowledge into effective programming for youth furthest from opportunities. We share it here in the hopes that it will have similar impact in other youth-serving programs.