This research summary was developed by Pathways to Education.

HERE’S HOW THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THIS RESEARCH SUMMARY:

The existing body of research on self-regulation skills links them strongly to positive youth development. The authors of this book chapter define self-regulation as “people’s deliberate attempts to use, modify, or inhibit their own emotions, thoughts, and behaviours to reach their goals” (p. 21). The chapter provides an overview of key findings from self-regulation research, emphasizes intentional self-regulation as critical during adolescence, outlines limitations of the existing research on self-regulation, and recommends five priorities for improving youth policy and practice. The authors aim to make research findings accessible to youth development practitioners and policy makers interested in using self-regulation research to promote thriving among youth.