Teaching self-regulation to children and adolescents: Theories and techniques
Presenter(s)
Alex Thompson, Reg. OT (BC)
12:30 to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Occupational therapy professionals can offer input into the design of internal and external environments to support, develop, and motivate children and adolescents’ self-regulation skills. Shanker (2017) stated “the ability to self-regulate — to strategically modulate one’s emotional reactions or states to be more effective at coping and engaging with the environment — is a critical aspect of human development”. While many children can develop self-regulatory skills on their own, either by trial and error or by observing others (Bandura, n.d.), others have significant difficulties in developing these skills. By examining principles of Polyvagal theory (Porges, 2022), the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (Perry, 2019), and sensory-enhanced movement (Stoller, 2019), occupational therapy professionals can facilitate children and adolescents’ learning of self-regulation skills, which then facilitates their participation in occupations. This experiential workshop will expand occupational therapy professionals’ knowledge of theories and techniques that can have a positive impact on teaching self-regulation to children and adolescents. Participants will learn how the relationship and application of Polyvagal theory, the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, interoception, and sensory-enhanced movement contribute to the development of self-regulation skills. A variety of experiential learning activities and resources will be used to support participants in learning and practicing evidence-based techniques to teach self-regulation to children and adolescents.
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to: Understand and apply relevant principles of Polyvagal theory to the development of self-regulation skills. Understand and apply relevant principles of the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics to the development of self-regulation skills. Understand and apply relevant principles of interoception to the development of self-regulation skills. Understand and apply relevant principles of sensory-enhanced movement to the development of self-regulation skills. Utilize a variety of evidence-based techniques for teaching self-regulation to children and adolescents. Target audience: Occupational therapist clinicians, occupational therapist assistants, students in occupational therapy programs, students in OTA/PTA programs, speech-language pathologists, social workers, and teachers/educators who wish to improve their ability to effectively teach self-regulation to children and adolescents. The tools and interventions discussed are meant to be delivered in a multi-tiered, Response to Intervention (RTI) model. Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc. To fully participate in the workshop, participants will need to be in a space where they can move, be active, and participate in discussions that require privacy and focused attention. Activewear clothing and shoes are recommended. A chair and/or yoga mat will be helpful to participate in workshop activities.
Areas of practice: Autism/Neurodiversity, Chronic Pain, Cognition, Developmental Disability, Health Promotion & Wellness, Mental Health, Occupational Therapist Assistant, Parental Health, Pediatrics, Sensory Integration & Processing, Universal Design | Client age group: Children (5-12 years old), Adolescents (13-19 years old) | Workshop level: Intermediate (3-5 years of experience in this specific practice area). Please note: Participants with more or less than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 3-5 years of experience.