Executive Functioning: Inhibition

Perhaps the executive functioning skill that is becoming increasingly apparent that the younger generation needs serious help with is inhibition. This is the ability to control your thoughts, emotions, and actions. One of the most important aspects of this is to start at a young age teaching kids emotion regulation. The issue with this is that there are a lot of adults who are lacking in this skill. This is most often obvious in people who experience outbursts out in public and otherwise look like they are out of control. It makes sense that this skill is hardest for kids because it is one where the prefrontal cortex dominates. Gentle parenting attempts to instill emotion regulation in children and is perhaps the positive aspect of this style. The key part is how do you teach emotion regulation? Or if you are an adult and are lacking in this skill how can you learn it? The most important thing is not to teach kids to press their emotions down because that actually ends up increasing the chance of emotional outbursts and behavior problems. The emotions need to have a place to go. Acknowledging and giving voice to them is the first step. Understanding that emotions have a time and place and addressing that is the second step (sometimes you need to get something done) because of a deadline. In that case delaying gratification helps with inhibition. The idea that this assignment is due tomorrow which means I need to get it done today might mean I don’t get to do what I want to do. It also should be noted that these skills at times can play together. Time management will influence this which is why working ahead or in small bites over a long period of time allows for students when they are having an off day the time to take a break because emotionally that’s what they need. Inhibition also helps students from engaging in destructive behaviors like hitting a fellow student. If they think about the consequences of their action or are taught to pause and think of the consequences they are much more likely to choose a different option. Accountability should be taught to children at a young age. There needs to be an understanding of childhood development and to link appropriate expectations with behavior. Expectations and models for behavior act help kids behavior because they know what to expect. So to set up their ability to learn inhibition first by setting clear expectations and consequences. After this, modeling how to make decisions and think through problems is the next step.