Emotion Coaching Among Providers and Parents: Supporting Early Social-Emotional Development

Emotion Coaching Among Providers and Parents:

Supporting Early Social- Emotional Development

Nicole M. Edwards, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Special Education College of Education, Rowan University

Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 2 pm – 3 pm Brookes Coffee Chat Series

(EdwardsN@rowan.edu)

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Early Social-Emotional Development

Your Guide to Promoting Children’s Positive Behavior

A practical and comprehensive resource to help birth–five

providers work successfully with children, families, and

colleagues to foster social- emotional growth.

bpub.fyi/Early-SE-Dev

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and recording viewers.

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Early Social-Emotional Development

Emerging in the first year of life:

✓ Primary emotions (Lewis & Michalson, 1983; Lewis et al., 1989)

Emerging between 3-9 months:

✓ Automatic/reflexive patterns è intentional and voluntary responses

(Lewis & Michalson, 1983; Lewis et al., 1989)

✓ Make sense of simple emotions expressed by others (Dunsmore & Karn, 2001)

Typical Social-Emotional Development (birth-5)

Emerging ability in Preschool and Kindergarten to: ✓ Be more goal-directed (Edwards, 2018, p. 13)

✓ Control emotions ✓ Problem-solve

✓ Follow complex directions ✓ Comply with rules

✓ Internalize values/standards of behavior of others (Bronson, 2000) ✓ Initiate and sustain social interactions

v EMERGING lifelong process to control internal reactions to

emotions and their outward expressions

v“There is a continuous reorganization of

emotional competencies…”

v (Cummings, Davies, & Campbell, 2002; Edwards, 2018, p. 13)

Within and Across-Group Variability

Table 1.1. Sampling of typical milestones across developmental domains

	6 months	2 years	4 years
Fine motor	Transfers objects from one hand to the other	Copies straight lines and circles	Uses scissors
Gross motor	Begins sitting without support	Begins running	Begins to stand on one foot
Expressive language	Makes sounds to show emotions	Uses two-to four-word sentences	Enjoys telling stories
Receptive language	Responds to own name	Points to pictures when they are named	Follows three-part commands
Cognitive	Explores by putting things in mouth	Begins sorting by shape and color	Understands the difference between “same” and “different”
Adaptive	Begins to hold bottle independently	Follows directions to put away familiar items	Can pour and mash
Social-emotional	Knows familiar faces	Shows defiance by doing what he or she is told not to do	Prefers playing with others rather than alone

I can turn my head away from this,

uImproved Mobility

reach for my favorite teddy, or move closer to a trusted adult!

uImproved Language

I can more easily tell you how I am feeling or what I want!

uImproved Cognition

I am learning what is expected of me and how to

figure out solutions!

Examples (Edwards, 2018, Figure 1.5):

Three Main Components

è A child thinking or saying, “My brother is sad” when seeing him cry.

vEmotion Knowledge

è A child walking slowly and quietly to the

vEmotion Expression

playground even though she really wants to

vEmotion Regulation scream excitedly and run.

(Denham et al., 2003; Denham, 2006)

è A child who is visibly upset asking to play with the sensory toys in the cool down corner.

Possible CONCERNS…

May include difficulty with…

q self-soothing

q understanding/labeling emotions

q redirecting attention from distressing stimuli

q staying calm during a quiet activity

q transitioning between activities or parts of the routine

q calmly managing personal disappointment

q engaging in appropriate social interactions

(Chang, Schwartz, Dodge, & McBride-Chang, 2003; Cole, Michel, & Teti, 1994; Contrerras, Kerns, Weimer, Gentzler, & Tomich, 2000; Firzgerald, McKelvey, Schiffmen, & Montanez, 2006)

Pervasive Concern

“…emotional and behavioral problems are among the most prevalent chronic health

conditions of childhood…”(Pastor Reuben, & Duran., 2012, p. 1)

One of every five U.S. children and adolescents estimated to have a mental

disorder that can become debilitating without intervention (Kataoka et al., 2002)

Social-Emotional Development (birth-5)

Short- and Long-Term Correlates

More adaptive behavior (Izard et al., 2008)

Positive social outcomes (Kochanska et al., 2000)

Academic achievement (Graziano et al., 2007)

Confidence in childrearing abilities (Levac et al., 2008)

Ecological Approach

(e.g., Bronfenbrenner, 2001; Eisenberg, Cumberland, & Spinrad, 1998)

Early Nurturing…

uChildren who do not play or who are rarely touched

develop brains 20-30% smaller than normal for their age; talking and cuddling positively affect brain

development (Nash, 1997, p. 51)

uWarm, responsive interactions contribute to children’s

social-emotional, executive function, language and cognitive skills (e.g., Amodia-Bidakowska et al., 2020; Cabrera et al., 2018)

uAffects memory, thinking, language and concept dev’t,

& development of a stress response system

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/brain-development-during-childhood-and-adolescence

Promoting Secure Attachment

u Learn what creates secure attachment

u Learn to understand baby’s unique cues

u Talk, laugh, and play

u One GOAL è to realize they can trust and

rely on primary caregivers and other

important people in their lives.

Shared Accountability in Proactively Supporting Early Social-Emotional Development

Value in PREVENTION

v Tier I of PBIS or lower levels of Pyramid Model

Adults’ Role çè Child’s Emotions & Behavior

u Reflect on your WORDS and TONE

(Edwards, 2018, p. 30)

u AVOID Rapid Suppression Approaches

u Fail to promote lasting behavior change

u Reactive in response to a problem

u Fail to TEACH alternative replacement

behaviors

u “Practitioners promote the child’s social

development by encouraging the child to initiate or sustain positive interactions with other

children and adults during routines and activities through modeling, teaching, feedback, or other

types of guided support”

(DEC Recommended Practices, INT2)

u EMOTION COACHING:

“…responding supportively, verbally labeling emotions, using empathy, and teaching children to

understand and regulate their emotions…”

(Wilson, Havighurst, & Harley, 2012, p. 57).

Vignette from Edwards (2018, p. 36) Emotion Coaching in Action

u Celebrating Caregivers’ Efforts:

u AWARENESS of the child’s emotions

u ACCEPTING of these emotions

u TEACHING more adaptive ways to help the child manage emotions

Suggestions (Edwards, 2018)

u Be more aware of YOUR emotions by using reflective journaling

Flexible REPERTOIRE of coping strategies

(Gilliom et al., 2002)

Actively problem solve • Seek social support
Tolerate the intensity of aversive emotion

Tailor Supports

(Strengths, Needs, Preferences, Context)

If 3-year-old Child M is upset… If 3-year-old Child M is upset…

è He can redirect attention by looking away (averting eye contact) è He cries!

è He can walk to another part of the room

è He can redirect attention by focusing on a desired toy or activity

è He/we can possibly remove the source of stress

è He can use PICS or phrases to express himself (“Please stop; I need help”)

è He can seek comfort from a trusted caregiver

Modeling/ Scaffolding

Am I responsive/supportive? • Do I encourage attempts to self-soothe, cope, delay gratification? • Do I offer a space to ‘stop and think’?
Do I validate and label feelings? • When I get upset in front of the child, do I briefly explain my feelings and model how I self-soothe?
Do I use and encourage discussion of emotion-based children’s books?

"Mindfulness training—using age‐appropriate activities to exercise children's reflection on

their moment‐to‐moment experiences—may support the development of self‐regulation..."

(Zelazo & Lyons, 2012, p. 154)

Adults’ Role çè Child’s Emotions & Behavior