# data[].attributes.body
Mon 20th - Sun 26th May

# data[].attributes.body
Mon 27th May- Sun 2nd June

# data[].attributes.body
Mon 3rd- Sun 9th June

# data[].attributes.body
Mon 26th- Sun 1st September

# data[].attributes.body
Monday 10th-Sun 16th June

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Animation Director at DNEG

Chris Kirshbaum is an animator, teacher, and public speaker whose work has appeared in numerous feature films, shorts, DVD extras, and holiday TV specials. He has worked in 2D animation as a special effects artist and in 3D animation as a character animator, lead, supervisor, and Art Director. He has taught and mentored since 2007 and has performed as a musician in the studio, on stage, in the theater, and on television.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how to animate a character undergoing an emotional transition, from how it affects the character's body and physics to translating it into effective visual storytelling on the screen.

# data[].attributes.body
To most fully support interpretation of emotional state, traditional animation suggests that focusing on the display of emotion through the body would be an appropriate approach (Appendix A). However, when it comes to emotional expressions, psychology has mainly focused on understanding facial expressions (de Gelder, 2006). Nevertheless, an animated character displaying emotion realistically through the face and not through the rest of the

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Contents

1. Use colors to convey emotion

2. Employ body language to show feelings

3. Use music to set the mood

4. How to animate facial expressions for emotional impact

5. How to use camera angles for emotional depth

6. Animate environments to enhance emotions

7. Use lighting for emotional impact

8. How to use pacing to drive emotions

9. Animate dialogue to reflect emotion

10. How to use props to add emotional depth

If you've ever watched an animation that made you laugh, cry, or jump in surprise, you know how powerfully animations can evoke emotions. The secret? It's all about adding depth and emotion to animation. This blog will share practical tips on how to achieve just that. Let's step into the world of animation and discover how to make your characters and stories truly come alive.

Use Colors to Convey Emotion

Color is more than just a visual element; it's a powerful storytelling tool that can convey a wide range of emotions. Knowing how to use color effectively can add significant depth and emotion to your animations. Here's how:

Remember, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to using color in animation. It's more about understanding the emotional effects of different colors and using them strategically to enhance your storytelling. So, be bold, experiment with different palettes, and see what works best for adding depth and emotion to your animation.

Employ Body Language to Show Feelings

When it comes to adding depth and emotion to animation, body language is key. It's often said that actions speak louder than words, and in animation, this couldn't be truer. Here are some ways you can use body language to make your animations more emotionally engaging:

Animating body language can be tricky, but it's worth the effort. With practice, you can become adept at using body language to add depth and emotion to your animations, making your characters feel real and relatable to your audience.

Use Music to Set the Mood

If you've ever watched a movie with the sound turned off, you know how much music contributes to the emotional impact of a scene. The same holds true for animation. Carefully chosen music can add depth and emotion to animation, enhancing the viewer's experience. Here are some tips on using music effectively in your animations:

When it comes to adding depth and emotion to animation, music is a powerful tool. By carefully selecting and timing your music, you can significantly enhance the emotional impact of your animations.

How to Animate Facial Expressions for Emotional Impact

Facial expressions are like a window into a character's soul. They reveal what a character is feeling and thinking, adding depth and emotion to animation. Here's how you can animate facial expressions for maximum emotional impact:

In the world of animation, a character's face can speak volumes. By learning to animate facial expressions skillfully, you can add significant depth and emotion to your animations, creating a more immersive and engaging viewing experience.

How to Use Camera Angles for Emotional Depth

Camera angles are a powerful tool in the animator's toolbox, capable of adding depth and emotion to animation. They can dramatically change the mood, tone, and viewer's perception of a scene. Here's how you can use camera angles to enhance emotional depth:

Remember, the goal is to use camera angles to support the story and emotions you're trying to convey. Experiment with different angles to see which ones work best for your animation. Just like a good director, an animator must understand how to use the "camera" to tell a captivating story that resonates with viewers.

Animate Environments to Enhance Emotions

Animating environments is another effective way of adding depth and emotion to animation. The setting of a scene plays a crucial role in establishing mood and emotion. Here are a few ways you can use environments to deepen the emotional impact of your animations:

Keep in mind, your environment should support the story and characters, not distract from them. Always consider the emotion you want to evoke in your viewers when designing your environments. The right environment can significantly enhance the emotional depth of your animation, making it more engaging and impactful.

Use Lighting for Emotional Impact

Lighting is another aspect you can manipulate when adding depth and emotion to animation. It's not just about making the scenes visible - it's about setting the mood, highlighting important elements, and guiding the viewer's eyes.

Remember, lighting should serve the story you're trying to tell. By playing with light and shadow, you can add significant depth and emotion to your animation, enhancing the overall viewing experience.

How to Use Pacing to Drive Emotions

When it comes to adding depth and emotion to animation, pacing plays a pivotal role. Ever noticed how a fast-paced scene can get your heart racing, while a slow, lingering shot might make you feel more reflective or emotional? Let's explore how you can use pacing to evoke specific feelings in your viewers.

Fast Pacing: Fast-paced scenes are like a shot of adrenaline. They're great for action sequences, conveying urgency, or showing a character's hurried state of mind. But remember not to overdo it - constant high-speed action can tire your viewers out!

Slow Pacing: Slower pacing allows viewers to soak in the details and the ambiance. It's perfect for emotional moments, allowing viewers to connect with the characters and their feelings. It's also great for building tension - think of the slow, suspenseful build-up before a big reveal.

Mix it Up: A good animation isn't all fast or all slow - it's a mix of different pacing. It's like a song, with its ups and downs, its quiet moments and its crescendos. Varying your pacing keeps the animation engaging and allows for a wider range of emotional expression.

By thoughtfully controlling the pacing, you can guide your audience's emotional journey throughout the animation. It's like conducting an orchestra - with the right tempo, you can make your viewers feel exactly what you want them to feel.

Animate Dialogue to Reflect Emotion

Now, imagine your animation as a lively conversation. The dialogue isn't just about the words spoken, it's about how they're delivered. When adding depth and emotion to animation, consider how you can animate dialogue to truly reflect the emotions of the characters.

Syncing Lip Movements: The basics start with syncing the lip movements to the dialogue. You'd be surprised how much emotion you can convey just by getting the mouth shapes right! It's like watching a poorly dubbed movie - if the mouth movements don't match the words, it can really distract from the emotional impact.

Emphasizing Key Words: When we speak, we naturally emphasize certain words to convey our feelings. In animation, you can do this by adjusting the character's body language or facial expressions as they say these key words. Think about how much more impactful a line like "I can't believe you're leaving" can be when the character's face falls on the word "leaving".

Using Pauses: Pauses in dialogue can be incredibly powerful. They can indicate hesitation, confusion, or a range of other emotions. In animation, use these pauses to let your character's non-verbal reactions shine. A well-timed pause can speak volumes about what a character is feeling.

Remember, animation is a visual medium. Your audience will be looking at the characters as they speak, so make sure their animations match the emotional tone of the dialogue. With this in mind, you'll be adding depth and emotion to animation in no time!

How to Use Props to Add Emotional Depth

Let's talk about props. It might seem odd to think of them as significant players in adding depth and emotion to animation, but they can be real game-changers. Props, be it a teddy bear or a wand, aren't just objects - they can carry symbolic weight, reveal character traits, or even trigger emotional responses. Let's look at some ways to use them effectively.

Character-Revealing Props: Props can say a lot about a character's personality, status, or background. For example, a character always seen with a book may suggest they're studious or introverted, adding depth to their personality.

Emotionally Charged Props: Sometimes, objects hold emotional significance. A locket with a photo inside, a wilted flower, or a torn letter, are all props that can convey a sense of loss, longing, or regret. By attaching emotions to props, you make them more than just inanimate objects.

Action-Driven Props: Props can also drive the action and influence the character's emotional state. For example, a character struggling to open a locked door may feel frustration, fear, or desperation. The key here is to animate the interaction with the prop in a way that reflects the character's emotion.

So, next time you're adding depth and emotion to animation, don't overlook the props. They might be small, but with a little creativity, they can make a big impact. Remember, it's the little details that make your animation come alive and tug at your audience's heartstrings.

If you're passionate about creating emotionally impactful animations and want to learn more practical tips, don't miss out on learning from our ' Daisie Original Animation Course' with none another than Alex Jenkins who will you take you through his complete animation process. Dive in and take your animation skills to the next level!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Emotional Impact in Animation: Practical Depth Tips

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover how to add depth and emotion to animation with practical tips on colors, body language, music, and more for truly engaging visuals.

# data[].attributes.body
Uhrig draws attention to the potentials and possibilities of computer animation as a fertile ground for the study of eliciting emotion; so she calls computer animation ‘Animotion’. She points Farzaneh Yazdandoost 144  Animation Practice, Process & Production to cognitive studies, a field of study that combines approaches from psychology, philosophy and film studies in an interdisciplinary manner that investigates films concerning eliciting emotions, and contends that computer animation recently occupies the centre of attention for the field’s scholars.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Article Finder - Emotion in Animated Films, Mieke Uhrig (ed.) (2018)

# data[].attributes.body
Positive emotions serve as markers of flourishing, or optimal well-being. Certainly moments in people's lives characterized by experiences of positive emotions—such as joy, interest, contentment, love, and the like—are moments in which they are not plagued by negative emotions.

Ekman & Davidson, 1994), consensus is emerging that emotions are but a subset of the broader class of affective phenomena. Emotions, according to this perspective, are best conceptualized as multicomponent response tendencies that unfold over relatively short time spans. Typically, an emotion begins with an individual's assessment of the personal meaning of some antecedent event. This appraisal process may be either conscious or unconscious, and it triggers a cascade of response tendencies manifest across loosely coupled component systems, such as subjective experience, facial expression, cognitive processing, and physiological changes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Article Finder - The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IMPROVE Your Lip Sync Animation in 3 Steps

# data[].attributes.headline
The Psychology of Animation: How It Impacts Our Emotions and Behaviour 

# data[].attributes.subject
The Psychology of Animation: How It Impacts Our Emotions and Behaviour 

# data[].attributes.body
At its core, animation is a form of storytelling, and stories are an essential part of the human experience. But beyond the storytelling itself, animation also uses a range of techniques to elicit emotional responses. For example, animators may use colour and lighting to create mood and atmosphere or use music and sound effects to heighten tension or excitement. Characters themselves may be designed with specific facial expressions and body language that convey emotions and help us connect with them on a deeper level.

Beyond the emotional impact of animation, there are also a number of psychological principles and theories at play in the way animated media is created and received. For example, social learning theory suggests that we learn by observing and imitating others, and animated media can serve as a powerful tool for teaching these behaviours. Children, in particular, may learn important social skills and values from animated characters and storylines.

Cognitive dissonance is another psychological principle that can be observed in animation. This theory suggests that when we encounter information that conflicts with our existing beliefs or values, we experience a sense of discomfort or dissonance.

Animated media can challenge our assumptions and beliefs, forcing us to reconsider our perspectives and potentially leading to personal growth and development.

Disney films often promote themes of friendship, loyalty, and perseverance, while Studio Ghibli films often explore themes of environmentalism and respect for nature.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Psychology of Animation: How It Impacts Our Emotions and Behavior - HOUND STUDIO

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you curious about the power of #animation and how it shapes our emotions and thoughts? Join us to explore more.

# data[].attributes.headline
Pixar’s "Inside Out" and Plutchik’s Theory of Emotions

# data[].attributes.subject
Pixar’s "Inside Out" and Plutchik’s Theory of Emotions

# data[].attributes.body
Inside Out portrays the psychological experiences and challenges of growing up with greater depth and accuracy.In elucidating emotional development and its impact on cognition, the film draws from American psychologist Robert Plutchik and his theory of emotions 1980. Plutchik identified eight primary emotions—anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust, and joy—universal and biologically hardwired into human minds.Inside Out references the concept of evolutionary adaptiveness, illustrating how emotions like fear can activate protective fight-or-flight mechanisms. The film also hints at the spectrum of emotional intensity and the potential for emotions to blend, creating complex feelings similar to mixing colors. In accordance with developmental psychology research, the film highlights the crucial role of emotional competence—the capacity to understand and regulate one's emotions and empathize with others—in social and academic success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Key points

"Inside Out" revolutionizes children's cinema with a profound exploration of emotional maturity.

"Inside Out" embodies Robert Plutchik's emotional theory, showcasing universal core emotions.

Research and the film highlight emotional competence as a predictor of social and academic success.

By Joshua Plutchik and Lori Plutchik, M.D.
Pixar's 2015 film Inside Out marked a noteworthy departure from conventional children's cinema, venturing into the realm of emotions with unprecedented sophistication. The film centers around Riley, an 11-year-old girl navigating her identity and emotional growth. Diverging from traditional narratives of children's movies that merely graze emotions, Inside Out portrays the psychological experiences and challenges of growing up with greater depth and accuracy.

In elucidating emotional development and its impact on cognition, the film draws from American psychologist Robert Plutchik and his theory of emotions. This holds personal significance for us, as Robert Plutchik was Lori's father and Joshua's grandfather. Plutchik identified eight primary emotions- anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust, and joy-universal and biologically hardwired into human minds. Five of these emotions, depicted as colorful, engaging characters, guide Riley through her developmental changes.

Although Inside Out simplifies some aspects of Plutchik's theory for its target audience, it subtly nods to its more complex facets, such as the pairing of emotions as opposites-such as happiness and sadness. Inside Out references the concept of evolutionary adaptiveness, illustrating how emotions like fear can activate protective fight-or-flight mechanisms. The film also hints at the spectrum of emotional intensity and the potential for emotions to blend, creating complex feelings similar to mixing colors.

In accordance with developmental psychology research, the film highlights the crucial role of emotional competence-the capacity to understand and regulate one's emotions and empathize with others-in social and academic success. It portrays the evolving capacity of young children to understand, articulate, and regulate their emotions-a process influenced by both inherent temperament and the development of social-emotional skills within familial and societal contexts.

What sets Inside Out apart is its depth in confronting the challenges of growing up and nurturing emotional competence from a young age. The personification of emotions as characters in Riley's story-from Joy's radiant yellow to Sadness's contemplative blue-offers an accessible and engaging way for viewers to connect and understand their feelings.

Moreover, Inside Out demystifies complex psychology, innovatively depicting memories as colored orbs and a literal "train of thought" that provides insight into how we process experiences and emotions. The film challenges outdated views on the separation of emotion and logic, highlighting the indispensable role of emotions in decision-making.

Research in patients with damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex highlights the essential function of emotions in the typical appraisal of emotional cues, thus underscoring their significance in evaluating choices and making decisions. Emotions are crucial indicators, directing our focus and decisions based on our principles and previous encounters. Inside Out alludes to this interplay between emotion and cognition through the characters' impact on Riley's choices, which may be grounds for further exploration in Inside Out 2.

As anticipation for the June 2024 release of Inside Out 2 builds, the sequel promises a deeper exploration of human emotions. As Riley navigates her tumultuous adolescence, her "emotional headquarters" gets renovated with new emotions, notably Anxiety. Pixar can go in countless directions with future films, as the Inside Out series opens a conversation about mental health in a timely and entertaining way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pixar's "Inside Out" and Plutchik's Theory of Emotions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover how Pixar's "Inside Out" redefines animated storytelling, offering a vibrant ode to Robert Plutchik's theory of emotions.

# data[].attributes.body
Salovey and Mayer (1990) defined emotional intelligence as a subset of social intelligence that involves the “ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions” (p. 189).The distinction between cognitive intelligence and EI may be particularly relevant in ASD, a population with notably lower EI compared to neurotypical peers, despite comparable cognitive intelligence (Brady et al., 2014).

Twenty years of research has shown that EI can be explicitly taught via “social and emotional learning” interventions in school settings.

Recent meta-analyses examining long-term impacts of SEL have observed that compared to controls, children who participated in SEL programs demonstrated significant gains in social and emotional skills, attitudes, behavior and academic performance, well-being, and higher likelihood of high school graduation (Durlak et al., 2011; Taylor et al., 2017).

Autistic people with normal verbal abilities can discuss their basic emotional experiences with relative ease, but have trouble discussing more complex emotions in themselves and others (Capps et al., 1992; Capps et al., 1995; Kasari et al., 2001).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States

Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States

In this perspective paper, we review established areas of ASD emotional difficulties in relation to "emotional intelligence" (EI) theoretical frameworks. Existing literature suggests that people with ASD have lower EI on average in the domains of perceiving emotions from the environment and body language, using emotions to relate to other's experience, understanding emotions based on contextual cues, and managing emotions in the self and others. Poorer EI in ASD may detract from academic success, even when cognitive intelligence is intact. We conclude by considering the manner in which EI interventions in special education classrooms and school settings, formerly termed "Social and Emotional Learning" (SEL) programs, can be adapted to promote EI in children with ASD.

Introduction

Salovey and Mayer (1990) defined emotional intelligence as a subset of social intelligence that involves the "ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions" (p. 189). Distinct from cognitive intelligence, an accumulating literature base suggests that EI may contribute equally to psychological, academic, professional, and social functioning ( Brackett et al., 2019). For example, EI abilities are associated with better prosocial behaviors, teamwork, empathy, and achievement in both educational ( Mayer et al., 2008; Brackett et al., 2016) and workplace settings ( Côté, 2014; Brackett, 2019). This burgeoning research area has contributed to a growing recognition among policy-makers, educators and employers, that 1) cognitive intelligence is not sufficient for attainment of success in critical areas of life functioning, and that 2) educational programs and public policies should aim to foster neglected skillsets related to EI to produce a happier, healthier, and more productive society ( Heckman and Kautz, 2012).

Twenty years of research has shown that EI can be explicitly taught via "social and emotional learning" interventions in school settings. SEL is a broad term encompassing interventions, school practices, and polices aimed at helping students and teachers acquire skills and attitudes that promote personal development, interpersonal skills, ethical behavior, and responsible decision-making ( Elias et al., 2015).

Recent meta-analyses examining long-term impacts of SEL have observed that compared to controls, children who participated in SEL programs demonstrated significant gains in social and emotional skills, attitudes, behavior and academic performance, well-being, and higher likelihood of high school graduation ( Durlak et al., 2011; Taylor et al., 2017). EI interventions are typically targeted towards the general population, but there has been limited consideration of how they can be adapted for special populations such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is associated with significant difficulties with the processing and regulation of emotions ( Gaigg, 2012); yet, the extent to which EI difficulties contribute to adverse life outcomes in this population has not been sufficiently explored. In this paper, we review literature relevant to our perspective that EI domains map closely to established areas of difficulty in ASD and frame ASD symptoms through the lens of EI theory. As very few studies have directly examined EI in ASD, we conducted this review informally by first addressing the key components of the EI construct ( Mayer et al., 2016) and then conducting targeted searches pairing the search terms "autism" or "ASD" with select search terms relevant to emotional competencies relevant to the EI construct. Based on this review, we consider novel approaches for supporting emotional development in school contexts.

The Ability Model of Emotional Intelligence: The Link to Autism Spectrum Disorder

In 1997, Mayer and Salovey, (1997) revised their original ( Salovey and Mayer, 1990) definition of EI to more specifically define the abilities that comprise this construct. They wrote:

Emotional intelligence involves the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth (p. 10).

The relationships among the four components of EI may be best conceptualized in terms of hierarchical factor structures, such that the core abilities are second-order factors that correlate with one another and load onto the single higher-order factor of general EI ( Joseph & Newman, 2010; Legree et al., 2014; MacCann et al., 2014) (see Figure 1A).

FIGURE 1. The ability model of EI applied to ASD. (A) displays each branch of the ability model. (B) displays EI deficits in ASD as they correspond to each branch. NVC, nonverbal cues, which could include body language, facial expressions, prosody, etc.

The distinction between cognitive intelligence and EI may be particularly relevant in ASD, a population with notably lower EI compared to neurotypical peers, despite comparable cognitive intelligence ( Brady et al., 2014). ASD is associated with a particular set of emotional challenges that correspond to facets of traditional models of EI, such as difficulty perceiving and understanding one's own and others' emotions, expressing emotions nonverbally, and effectively regulating negative emotions ( Harms et al., 2010; Mazefsky et al., 2013; Trevisan et al., 2018) (see Figure 1; Supplemental Material).

Emotional Intelligence Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorder

As shown in Figure 1 and the Supplemental Material, there is substantial research evidence to suggest EI deficits in ASD. Given the role of EI in successful life functioning and academic success, a more nuanced description of how EI difficulties and their downstream consequences is warranted.

Perceiving Emotions

Perception of One's Own Emotions

Alexithymia is a condition characterized by difficulties identifying and describing one's emotions ( Nemiah et al., 1976). Compared to neurotypical peers, individuals with ASD score much higher on continuous measures of alexithymia ( Hill et al., 2004; Griffin et al., 2016; Trevisan et al., 2016), even when matched on verbal and nonverbal intelligence ( Trevisan et al., 2016). These difficulties in perceiving and reflecting on one's emotions hinder the effectiveness of psychotherapy, the ability to remediate life problems, and ultimately, personal growth ( Sifneos, 1973).

Perception of Other's Nonverbal Emotional Cues

Basic emotion recognition is the foundation for more sophisticated emotional and social understanding and is necessary for responding empathetically to the emotional signals of others ( Izard et al., 2001; Jones et al., 2011). Findings across studies on emotion recognition abilities in ASD are mixed and appear to be subject to task demands and participant characteristics ( Harms et al., 2010). However, individuals with ASD generally perform worse than comparison groups on tasks that require recognition of emotion from facial expressions ( Uljarevic and Hamilton, 2013; Lozier et al., 2014), prosody (e.g., tone, rhythm), gestures, and body language ( Baker et al., 2010; Stewart et al., 2013; Fridenson-Hayo et al., 2016). While some studies find no evidence of emotion recognition deficits in such tasks (e.g., Loveland et al., 1997; Black et al., 2019), biological differences in eye-tracking, electrophysiological response, and brain imaging, suggest atypical emotion processing even when task performance is intact ( Harms et al., 2010). Trevisan and Birmingham (2016) found that emotion recognition abilities in ASD are associated with higher social competence and less severe ASD symptoms, highlighting the importance of emotion recognition for successful adaptive and interpersonal functioning.

Differentiation of Authentic Versus Deceptive Facial Expressions

"...facial expressions are not only the physiological consequences of an internal emotional state (i.e., spontaneous productions), but can also be [consciously controlled social displays] that are monitored and manipulated in order to meet external (social) demands (i.e., voluntary displays)." ( Gordon et al., 2014, p. 2486). Individuals with ASD may have difficulties understanding more nuanced displays of emotion, interpreting deceptive facial expressions, and understanding the social reasons prompting deceptive facial expressions, even if they possess the basic ability to label facial expressions with the correct emotional state ( Dennis et al., 2000; Rutherford and McIntosh, 2007).

Facial Expression Production

Despite being less researched than the ability to read others' facial expressions, the ability to accurately produce facial expressions, and integrate gesture during speech, may be just as important for successful social interactions. The facial expressions of those with ASD are rated as more awkward or unusual in appearance in comparison to neurotypical control groups ( Faso et al., 2015) and observers are therefore less likely to infer their intended emotional meaning ( Brewer et al., 2016). Overall, people with ASD express facial expressions with less clarity, accuracy, and their facial expressions are less likely to match the social context ( Trevisan et al., 2018). People with ASD are also less likely to synchronously integrate gesture into spoken communication ( de Marchena and Eigsti, 2010). These differences in nonverbal communication detract from fluency and social-emotional reciprocity during social interactions.

Using Emotions

Generating Emotions to Relate to Others

While this branch of the Ability Model of EI may be relatively under-researched in ASD, generating emotions as a means to relate to others' experiences may be central to high-level social and emotional competencies. One mechanism relevant to simulating others' emotions is the "mirror neuron system" (MNS), which is accordingly named due to its' activation both when seeing and doing an action ( Iacoboni, 2009). MNS impairment has been hypothesized to be fundamental to difficulties relating to others' emotional experiences in ASD ( Williams et al., 2001). As the automatic tendency to imitate others' emotions in the self has been associated with the ability to understand others' emotions ( Neal and Chartrand, 2011), this basic physiological deficit in simulating emotions in the self may detract from higher-order cognitive processes like empathy.

Understanding Emotions

Conceptualizing and Describing Complex and Mixed Emotions

Laboratory research on emotions most often discerns the "basic emotions," typically comprising universal emotions like fear, anger, sadness, disgust, surprise and joy ( Ekman, 2017). Autistic people with normal verbal abilities can discuss their basic emotional experiences with relative ease, but have trouble discussing more complex emotions in themselves and others ( Capps et al., 1992; Capps et al., 1995; Kasari et al., 2001). This relatively less nuanced understanding of emotions may limit the ability of individuals with ASD to engage with their own and others' emotions in order to remediate personal emotional problems and to facilitate social interactions and relationships.

Appraisal of Situations That Elicit Emotions; Antecedents and Consequences

ASD is characterized by an impaired "Theory of Mind" (ToM), characterized by difficulties attributing mental states such as beliefs, intents, desires and emotions to others ( Baron-Cohen, 1997; Baron-Cohen, 2005). ToM difficulties impair the ability to understand the perspectives and feelings of others based on their external causes and situational contexts ( Salomone et al., 2019). Losh and Capps (2006) reported that the emotional accounts of children with ASD are less likely to be explained in causal-explanatory frames of reference. Impoverished understanding of emotional antecedents and consequences may be fundamental to other aspects of EI such as the ability to regulate one's own emotions. For example, emotional meltdowns or outbursts in ASD are due in part to lack of awareness of the antecedents leading to negative emotions, and lack of insight regarding subsequent consequences ( Mazefsky and White, 2014).

Managing Emotions

Emotion Regulation

Emotion regulation has been defined as the automatic or intentional modification of a person's emotional state that promotes adaptive or goal-directed behavior ( Thompson, 1994). Functionally, emotion regulation is thought to be critical for constructive management of personal distress and interpersonal conflict, and more broadly for psychological well-being and mental health ( Dulewicz et al., 2003; James et al., 2012). Emotion dysregulation is of significant practical concern to parents, clinicians, and educators working with children with ASD ( Mazefsky et al., 2013), as emotion dysregulation in this population may result in irritability, emotional outbursts, aggression, self-injury, impulsivity, and anxiety ( Lecavalier, 2006; Mazefsky et al., 2013; Mazefsky and White, 2014; Charlton et al., 2019).

Emotion Regulation Strategies

Emotion regulation is difficult to empirically measure in the lab, but observational studies have shown that children with ASD use less effective and less adaptive coping strategies compared to their neurotypical peers when confronted with frustrating situations ( Konstantareas and Stewart, 2006; Jahromi et al., 2012). Children with ASD use more avoidance and venting strategies to regulate frustration and are less likely to use constructive strategies such as goal-directed solutions or seeking help from an adult ( Jahromi et al., 2013). Effective emotion regulation strategies are needed to minimize the negative emotional impact of adverse events and to reframe difficult situations into constructive learning opportunities ( Gross and John, 2003; Mandell, 2008; Mazefsky et al., 2013; Charlton et al., 2019).

Managing Others' Emotions

While research on managing others' emotions in ASD has received relatively little empirical attention to our knowledge, there are several considerations worth making. An obvious but relevant point is that lacking awareness and understanding of emotional signals in the first place would make it impossible to respond to and effectively manage others' emotions ( Gaigg, 2012). However, even when an individual with ASD detects and correctly interprets others' emotions, they may still lack the social competencies to respond in an emotionally intelligent manner. For example, children with ASD are less responsive to the emotional displays of others compared to their typically developing peers, even when they are apparently aware of others' emotional displays ( Yirmiya et al., 1992; Loveland et al., 1994; Bacon et al., 1998; Corona et al., 1998). Difficulty managing and responding to others' emotions would make it challenging to reconcile interpersonal conflict, to respond to others compassionately, and to help others cope with emotional distress.

Implications for School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Programming and Special Education

Understanding emotional difficulties in ASD in the context of EI offers a novel framework for conceptualizing potentially viable intervention strategies. Some prior work has shown promise in teaching children with ASD skills relevant to EI including understanding of their own and others' emotions, emotional problem solving, and emotion regulation skills in school settings ( Wong et al., 2010). Additionally, systematic reviews of evidence-based educational interventions for children with ASD have been conducted and translated into accessible learning modules that can be utilized by educators to teach social-emotional competencies among other skills, using a variety of approaches including peer-mediated instruction, naturalistic intervention, structured play groups, and adult-directed social skills training ( Wong et al., 2015; Sam et al., 2020). However, most special education interventions for children with ASD focus either on educational development or on social skill development. These interventions may cover some aspects of social problem solving and understanding emotions in others but neglect several key EI skills. We are not suggesting that EI difficulties are necessarily the most pressing concerns in all children with ASD, or that SEL interventions should replace existing special education interventions. Rather, interventions that focus on development of EI may complement other interventions by targeting skillsets that do not receive enough attention. In the following sections, we describe a particular set of behavioral and biophysiological interventions that target greater understanding and regulation of emotions in the self, most relevant to EI.

Biosocial Feedback

Buck and Powers (2013) suggest that when children express emotions verbally and nonverbally, the ways in which caregivers respond to those emotions serve as educational opportunities in a process called "biosocial feedback." Biosocial feedback helps children understand what emotions they are experiencing, the events that lead to negative emotions, and strategies for regulating those emotions. For example, if a young child expresses frustration, a caregiver or educator may respond in such a way that helps the child understand what emotion he is experiencing, why he is experiencing it, and offer strategies on how to regulate that specific emotion. For children who have a disposition toward suppressing emotional expression or do not express emotions clearly, alexithymia can develop as a result of compromised biosocial feedback. This may be a particular concern for children with ASD given confusing and diminished emotion expression patterns ( Snow et al., 1987; Dawson et al., 1990; Capps et al., 1993; Trevisan et al., 2018). School-based interventions that capitalize on teachable moments by encouraging verbal and nonverbal emotional expression and providing educational feedback about their emotional expression may be effective at increasing EI over time.

Biofeedback

Other interventions aim to promote awareness of emotional arousal with the use of wearable devices and applications (e.g., Kushki et al., 2015; Ness et al., 2019). Such devices warn users and their caregivers when they are experiencing heightened emotional arousal, as measured by significant increases in heartrate or other physiological measures of arousal. An important aspect of the emotion regulation process is to first have awareness that an emotion is arising in the self before one can curb or regulate that emotion trajectory. These devices serve as an "emotional prosthetic" for children with poor emotional awareness and may potentially improve subjective awareness of one's emotional states over time through repeated learning opportunities. They can also help caregivers and educators understand when the child in their care is overwhelmed or upset, even when the child is not clearly expressing those emotions. Research is needed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of such strategies in school-based settings.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Western therapeutic practices have increasingly drawn from contemplative practices such as Mindfulness and Meditation into interventions such as "Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction" (MBSR) and "Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy" (MBCT). Mindfulness has been defined as, "The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment" ( Kabat-Zinn, 2003), p. 145). It incorporates formal practices such as meditation that are undertaken for specific periods of time, but also encourages living "mindfully," by maintaining awareness of one's ongoing stream of consciousness and evolving emotional and physical feelings throughout one's daily life. Such interventions are effective at improving self-reported and objective measures of emotional awareness over time ( Bornemann et al., 2015; Bornemann and Singer, 2017). These interventions are increasingly used in the ASD community and are efficacious in treating depression and anxiety in adults with ASD ( Spek et al., 2013), in minimizing aggressive behavior in physically aggressive adolescents with ASD ( Singh et al., 2011), and for decreasing stress and improving other health outcomes in parents of children with ASD who experience high degrees of parental stress ( Ferraioli and Harris, 2013). Mindfulness and meditative practices have already been successfully implemented into SEL curricula ( Lawlor, 2016; Lemberger-Truelove et al., 2018), and future research is needed to examine the effectiveness of school-based mindfulness programs for children with ASD.

RULER

One approach to teaching EI in schools is RULER ( www.rulerapproach.org), developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER's original design was a Tier one or universal approach to SEL for TD children capable of learning social and emotional skills via observational learning and reciprocity in everyday conversation in both social and academic contexts. Adaptations for children with ASD became necessary as the approach was adopted by many large districts and private schools serving children with ASD. The most significant adaptation was a greater focus on explicit instruction of EI skills to address the difficulties of children with ASD in learning SEL skills through incidental learning ( Erdődi et al., 2013).

The Mood Meter is one RULER tool designed to help individuals identity and label emotions. Based on the circumplex model of emotion, it is a visual depiction of two components of emotions: pleasantness and energy ( Russell, 1980). The x-axis describes the degree of pleasantness we feel, ranging from unpleasant to pleasant. The y-axis represents our energy, ranging from low to high. The axes cross to create four colored quadrants each depicting a range of emotions. For children with ASD, including those who are non-verbal, teachers have used Mayer Johnson picture symbols depicting various facial expressions on their augmentative communication devices to give students a "voice" to communicate their emotions in each area of the mood meter: happy, sad, calm, angry, etc. Teachers also use mirrors and photographs to point out specific details on faces and in bodies that represent distinct emotions. The use of these visual supports for the Mood Meter more effectively supports learning about emotions for children with ASD.

Given the challenge of children with ASD to apply emotion knowledge across contexts, RULER supports educators who work with children with ASD to break down the teaching of emotion regulation. Instead of brainstorming multiple strategies simultaneously, teachers can address one strategy at a time and provide multiple opportunities for children to practice and receive positive reinforcement on its application across varied roleplay situations. The greater the structure and predictability in their learning of SEL skills the better able children with ASD tend to be at learning and applying the skills. Most school-based research has focused on teaching children with ASD social skills ( Watkins et al., 2017). Additional study is needed to unpack best practices for implementing classroom based SEL programs that focus specifically on developing EI skills in children with ASD.

Discussion

Many individuals with ASD face a unique set of emotional challenges that contribute to high rates of mood disorders and poorer interpersonal function in social, academic, and employment settings. In this paper, we argued that the ability model of EI is a useful framework for conceptualizing the emotional symptoms of ASD. It is not our position that EI difficulties are the only or most pressing challenge faced by children with ASD in school settings; some children with ASD may not present with any EI difficulties at all ( McCrimmon et al., 2016). Moreover, many children with ASD have co-occurring disorders such as intellectual disability or language impairment which may alter the presentation of EI difficulties. These differences and variations in cognitive ability among children with ASD may require additional refinements in intervention implementation. Another important question for future research is to understand the first-personal perspectives of individuals with ASD on the topic of EI regarding if, and in what ways, EI interventions should be taught in schools. One first-personal discussion of school inclusivity emphasized the utility of capitalizing on the special interests of students with ASD, so perhaps the content of EI lessons could be adapted and individualized based on the special interests of a particular student with ASD to increase motivation and engagement with the material ( Boven, 2018). Other first-personal perspectives emphasize that autistic individuals often experience intense emotional feelings and empathy toward other human and non-human beings ( Davidson and Smith, 2009), so perhaps those feelings can be utilized as a starting point to discuss emotionally intelligent strategies to understand and regulate emotions in those scenarios to meet various interpersonal goals.

We hope this paper will encourage researchers, clinicians, and educators to utilize the ability model of EI to deconstruct, organize, and better understand the emotional challenges faced in ASD. Future ASD research may benefit from drawing on the larger body of EI research in the general population to consider, for example, how SEL initiatives in K-12 educational settings may be modified for students with ASD.

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/ Supplementary Material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Author Contributions

DT wrote the bulk of the paper. EA reviewed and edited earlier drafts and helped design the figure. MB wrote specific sections and reviewed and edited earlier drafts. JM helped conceptualize the ideas in the paper and reviewed and edited earlier drafts.

Funding

This work was supported by the Hilibrand Foundation and the Hartwell Foundation.

Conflict of Interest

JM consults with Customer Value Partners, Bridgebio, and BlackThorn Therapeutics, has received research funding from Janssen Research and Development, and receives royalties from Guilford Press, Lambert, and Springer. MB does not receive royalties from RULER and has a conflict of interest management plan in place with Yale University to ensure that his involvement in the development of RULER does not compromise research endeavors.

The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Nikki Elbertson and Bonnie Brown for their thoughtful comments that helped shape this manuscript.

Supplementary Material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.639736/full#supplementary-material.

References

Boven, F. (2018). Special interests and inclusive academic learning: an autistic perspective. Advances in Autism. 4 (4), 155-164.
Google Scholar
Davidson, J., and Smith, M. (2009). Autistic autobiographies and more-than-human emotional geographies. Environ. Plan. D Society and Space 27 (5), 898-916.
Google Scholar
Nemiah, J., Freyberger, H., and Sifneos, P. (1976). "Alexithymia: a view of the psychosomatic process,"in Modern tends in psychosomatic medicine. Editor O. W. Hill, 3, 430-439.
Google Scholar

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Considerations About How Emotional Intelligence can be Enhanced in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this perspective paper, we review established areas of ASD emotional difficulties in relation to "emotional intelligence" (EI) theoretical frameworks. Existing literature suggests that people with ASD have lower EI on average in the domains of perceiving emotions from the environment and body language, using emotions to relate to other's experience, understanding emotions based on contextual cues, and managing emotions in the self and others.

# data[].attributes.body
It's a powerful medium capable of eliciting a wide range of emotions in viewers of all ages. With exaggerated expressions, fluid movements, and fantastical abilities, animators can embody universal emotions in ways live-action can't.

Beyond words, animation uses color, music, and movement to tell its story. A melancholic piano melody underscores a character's loss, a warm glow bathes a scene of friendship, and dramatic camera angles heighten tension. This visual language bypasses our logical mind and speaks directly to our emotions, creating a visceral connection with the narrative.

Animation's fantastical nature allows it to tackle complex themes and sensitive topics, like death, grief, and loss, in a way that feels accessible and safe. By distancing ourselves from real-life scenarios, animation gives us a safe space to explore these emotions, fostering empathy and understanding without the fear of direct confrontation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Animation isn't just for kids. It's a powerful medium capable of eliciting a wide range of emotions in viewers of all ages, from the joyous laughter of a Pixar film to the soul-crushing despair of a Ghibli masterpiece. But how does animation achieve this emotional resonance? Let's explore the magic behind the moving pixels.

1. The Power of Relatable Characters:

Animation allows creators to craft characters that transcend physical limitations. With exaggerated expressions, fluid movements, and fantastical abilities, animators can embody universal emotions in ways live-action can't. A talking raccoon stealing your food sparks empathy, a robot learning about friendship tugs at our heartstrings, and a sassy princess defies expectations, all because we see ourselves reflected in their journeys.

2. The Art of Visual Storytelling:

Beyond words, animation uses color, music, and movement to tell its story. A melancholic piano melody underscores a character's loss, a warm glow bathes a scene of friendship, and dramatic camera angles heighten tension. This visual language bypasses our logical mind and speaks directly to our emotions, creating a visceral connection with the narrative.

3. Nostalgia and Shared Experiences:

For many, animation is intricately woven into the fabric of childhood memories. Revisiting beloved cartoon classics triggers a wave of nostalgia, transporting us back to simpler times and rekindling emotions we thought were lost. This shared experience creates a powerful bond between generations, allowing animation to bridge cultural and age gaps through the emotions it evokes.

4. Exploring Difficult Emotions in a Safe Space:

Animation's fantastical nature allows it to tackle complex themes and sensitive topics, like death, grief, and loss, in a way that feels accessible and safe. By distancing ourselves from real-life scenarios, animation gives us a safe space to explore these emotions, fostering empathy and understanding without the fear of direct confrontation.

5. The Universality of Humor:

Laughter is arguably the most universal emotion, and animation excels at making us laugh. From slapstick gags to witty dialogue, the exaggerated nature of animation adds a layer of absurdity that tickles our funny bone. Laughter not only lightens the mood, but also creates a sense of connection and shared joy, further strengthening the emotional bond between the story and the viewer.

Animation's emotional impact isn't merely a side effect; it's the driving force behind its success. Its ability to tap into our deepest emotions, from childlike wonder to profound sadness, is what makes it such a powerful and enduring medium. So next time you watch an animated film, take a moment to appreciate the artistry behind the tears, the laughter, and everything in between.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Emotional Impact of Animation: Evoking Tears, Laughter, and Everything In Between

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Animation isn't just for kids. It's a powerful medium capable of eliciting a wide range of emotions in viewers of all ages, from the joyous laughter of a Pixar film to the soul-crushing despair of a Ghibli masterpiece.

# data[].attributes.body
Salovey and Mayer [28] define emotional intelligence as "the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions."

Emotional intelligence is present in every person's life and in every area of our existence. It influences our own lives, our decisions, and at the same time helps to establish and maintain relationships with other people.

The main factor influencing emotional intelligence is, according to researchers, the environment itself, as it often has a profound effect on an individual's level of emotional development. Environmental influences can guarantee the development of emotional intelligence, but the opposite is also true, it can also hinder it.

The most influential effect for people is their own cultural environment, which has a great influence on the development and formation of emotional intelligence.

Today, there are six generation groups in the world, which are considered to be six distinctly different groups of people. We can say that these generations love something else, have a different lifestyle and have different qualities. This characterization is not entirely true as they share some common impulses, experiences, decades of living together, have same acquaintances, and group problems.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341363435_Generations_and_Emotional_Intelligence_A_Pilot_Study

# data[].attributes.headline
The Important of Teaching and Learning Module Assisted with Animation

# data[].attributes.subject
The Important of Teaching and Learning Module Assisted with Animation

# data[].attributes.body
A mastering in emotional skill is a fundamental to the learning and development of the children which is enhance in the emotional development component. Self-confidence, self-reliance and a positive attitude towards education can be built through the development of the child's emotional health. This is because they are able to understand and manage emotions and able to achieve emotional intelligence. Social skills in a multicultural and friendly environment can be constructed if the students able to manage the emotions themselves where they can understand the emotions, needs, and to respect the views of others (National Preschool Curriculum, 2007).

# data[].attributes.headline
Mediating the use of Animation when tackling Bereavement

# data[].attributes.subject
Mediating the use of Animation when tackling Bereavement

# data[].attributes.body
In 2006 at St Benedict’s hospice, Sunderland (UK), a pilot project was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of using animation practice (creating films and working through the preproduction process; creating the necessary artwork leading to a film) to tackle issues surrounding and relating to loss and bereavement.

The work was produced in a series of animation workshops that allowed the flow of creativity to develop into expressive pieces of artwork, whilst tackling the emotional issues related to bereavement.

This work was one of the many projects that has supported and informed the development of the Good Hearts Model (GHM) developed by Melanie Hani (2011).

The GHM has as its main focus the intentional use of aspects of animation production as parallel and integrated stages of the therapeutic process.

The GHM accordingly employs methods that collect specific data in the form of creative outcomes (e.g. character designs, background designs, scripts, letters, poems, completed animations, soundtracks, and storyboards) – all of which form a series of representations of the moment and the experience of the moving reality.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 2006 at St Benedict's hospice, Sunderland (UK), a pilot project was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of using animation practice (creating films and working through the preproduction process; creating the necessary artwork leading to a film) to tackle issues surrounding and relating to loss and bereavement. The project was funded by the Community Fellowship Fund, in collaboration with the University of Sunderland, the NHS and St Benedict's Hospice Sunderland. The outcome resulted in Made with Love, a collection of highly emotional work created by those who had lost loved ones. The work was produced in a series of animation workshops that allowed the flow of creativity to develop into expressive pieces of artwork, whilst tackling the emotional issues related to bereavement. The project was awarded the NHS Innovation Award in 2006 and a published catalogue documented the outcomes. This work was one of the many projects that has supported and informed the development of the Good Hearts Model (GHM) developed by Melanie Hani (2011).

Prior to embarking on the Made with Love project, an understanding of the subject, the participants and the 'problem' was required (see Figure 1, GHM level 1). Semi-structured interviews with relevant staff and participants were carried out. Participant observations were undertaken and training was provided by St Benedict's Hospice, the NHS and Cruse Bereavement Care. Ethics committee approval was sought from the University of Sunderland and the National Health Service (NHS), and contracts and risk assessments were all put in place. Two palliative nurses, the hospice Chaplain and a doctor specializing in bereavement and palliative care were recruited and also interviewed.
Figure 1: GHM Levels of Process
From the initial assessments, the research was designed to mirror the "continuing bonds" perspective (Klass, Silverman, & Nickman 1996; Steffen & Coyle 2011, p.582), supporting the contemporary theory that ongoing relationships with the deceased are normal and often beneficial aspects of bereavement (Steffen & Coyle 2011, p.582). One common continuing bond expression, the experience of "sensing the presence of the deceased," constitutes an interesting phenomenon in this context. Sense of presence experiences can involve clearly sensory impressions such as the visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory perception of the deceased or the quasi-sensory subjective but (experienced as) veridical "feeling of presence" of the deceased (Bennett & Bennett 2000; Grimby 1998, in Steffen & Coyle 2011, p.582). It was clear that the participants reflected the traditional Western mode of being unable to 'move on.' More specifically, they were unable to move on from the experience of the dying and the death, a continuing bond to the latter and negative part of their life with their loved one, rather than the life they had 'pre-illness.' It was thus necessary to design a creative structure that allowed a visual, auditory, tactile perception of the deceased, that also allowed the presence of the deceased and a celebration of their life and experiences with the deceased prior to the illness. Animation with its visual, auditory, tactile complexities enabled and complimented this approach through the use of the GHM.
The Good Hearts Model (GHM)
The GHM has as its main focus the intentional use of aspects of animation production as parallel and integrated stages of the therapeutic process. 'The process is a complex procedure that has been developed into an adaptable model [...] is a theoretical and practical methodology that references use of Person-centered Therapy (Rogers 2007), service user-led experience' and personally underpinned by Ignatius Spirituality (Hani 2014). Moreover, it "considers the principles of auto ethnography, and how one facilitates the therapeutic environment, the production process and technique," acting as a "co-created continuous dialogue between the film process and the participant" (Hani 2014). Finally, the model
is designed as a therapeutic continuum, from the beginning of the preproduction process through the making of an animated film, and its viewing [...] The animated film can thus be viewed at any time during and after its production and serves to visualise each participant's therapeutic journey. (Hani, 2014)
Viewing a film is - at times - inconvenient, as it requires access to technologies. The idea was thus formed to instead embed this therapeutic outcome within a piece of jewellery that is accessible, tangible, wearable and embodied with the valuable feeling associated with the deceased, and combined with the feelings of the therapeutic animated journey facilitated by the GHM.

The GHM employs all stages of animation practice to generate therapeutic benefits when working with:

Children, young people and adults from statutory and voluntary sector organisations such as Health, Education, or Social Care

Other hard-to-reach groups

People living with poor mental health

People who have suffered loss, isolation, prejudice and stigma

People who have experienced violence or abuse; physical, emotional, sexual, neglect
People who believe education is out of their reach

People who are in substitute care; hospitals, hospices, prisons

People who are involved with criminal justice systems, have suffered negative responses due to ethnicity, gender, culture and sexuality

The GHM accordingly employs methods that collect specific data in the form of creative outcomes (e.g. character designs, background designs, scripts, letters, poems, completed animations, soundtracks, and storyboards) - all of which form a series of representations of the moment and the experience of the moving reality. The stages of pre-production of the GHM are all interconnected, which reflects the qualitative description as defined by Denzin and Lincoln, "Qualitative researchers deploy a wide range of interconnected interpretive practices hoping always to get a better understanding of the subject matter" (2005, p.4). Used in this way, animation provides a better understanding of the research 'problem' and outcomes, and additionally provides the opportunity for the participant to gain a better understanding of the self.

In this respect, it is becomes valuable to consider what defines animation as a medium. According to Bendazzi, "animation which has found numerous production techniques, presents itself as a 'frame by frame' method of creation of movement, no matter what technique has been used [...] but the high number of the possible applications of animation is precisely what makes its classification so difficult" (1994, p. xxi). These multiple applications (as we detail in our descriptions of animation embedded into jewellery), can also be employed across a wide range of uses as a therapeutic intervention. However, more philosophically, Wells, citing Holloway, suggests animation as a giving of "life and soul to a design, not through the copying but through the transformation of reality" (1998, p 10). Holloway's concept has its roots in the etymology of the word animation (from the Latin 'anima,' meaning air, breath, life, soul, or spirit). The emphasis on giving life, breath and soul to an inanimate object seems fundamental to employing animation as a form of therapy and yet is rarely given the value it deserves within academic discourse.

This 'giving,' this 'breathing' of life is particularly important to Animation Therapy: it reflects the opportunity of giving new life, restoring old life, presenting current life and past life; lives which include humans, experiences, occurrences, and lives that have not had the experiences that can be lived through animation and its process (as in the example below). Animation Therapy then affords the opportunity 'to give life' afresh, not merely through a technical application, but through psychological, emotional, and physical re-configuration.

One participant from Made with Love: Mediating the use of Animation when tackling Bereavement (Hani 2006) recounts that "since I was 16 I have been wanting to get married ... at least I got married on my animation. I don't feel guilty ... I have got to the church and I did get married" (Hani 2006, p.43). The participant had been with her partner for many years and they had three children together. When her partner became terminally ill, she stayed by his side whilst he was at the hospice and only left on the day of their planned wedding to collect the paperwork from the registry office. Whilst she was absent, he passed away and the wedding never took place. Her film was based on creating, preparing and re-enacting that wedding day, and defeating the race against the Grim Reaper (which she referenced in her animated film). She continues, "I really had it on my brain why why why why did I walk away. I was really mad with myself leaving but this is my way of getting my emotions out and my dream come true out on a picture" (News Broadcast: Made with Love, 2006). Not only did the preproduction process allow her to prepare for her wedding, the final film acted as a historical documented event of a special day and actualized an experience that was previously lost.
Figure 2: Film frame from Made with Love: Mediating the use of Animation when tackling Bereavement (Hani, 2006).
Another participant from the same project was consumed by thoughts regarding her husband's illness and the development of that illness leading to his passing. She would discuss issues about the hospital care, unavailable support from the council and expressed she had forgotten the life she had previously lived with him prior to the illness. The participant created a film based on their life together rather than her husband's death from motor neurons disease. When watching her film, she stated, "I feel as if I have got [Name] back the way he was and I can look back now and think, yes we did have happy memories and the illness is to the back of my mind now and I can think positively about moving forward" (News Broadcast: Made With Love 2006) The participant reports that she watches the film regularly as an extension of the therapeutic process. As she watches her film, it reminds her of her own personal animated therapeutic process, the life she had with her partner and her reframing of her loss. It is this form of extension that has prompted work into a new area of exploration.

At the time, members of HEART EM (Healing Education Animation Research Therapy East Midlands) included an animation therapist, a jewellery maker and a digital story facilitator. Discussions between the team and previous participants identified that access to a finished animation might be limited by the requirements for certain forms of technology and space. It was therefore conceived that participant-processed jewellery could provide a wearable, easily accessible form to the therapeutic animation that had previously been created by the participants. It was identified by the participants that the jewellery would be valued and would also act as an heirloom for future generations. According to Moore, "Heirloom jewelry pieces perform important functions in family networks. Jewelry's durability allows the potential to frequently outlive its original owner, gain sentimental value over successive generations, and influence relationships" (2016, p. 3). Participants would be carrying an embodied wearable artefact that provides a consistent and easily accessible reminder of the life of their loved ones, as well as the animated therapeutic benefits, journey and intervention. The work on this project led to a new term, 'Therapeutic Animated Jewellery.'
Digital Storytelling (DS)
Digital Storytelling (DS) is a self-reflective process and a participatory method to facilitate the co- production of short videos that has been developed and reshaped over time since the late 1990s. It has been acknowledged worldwide by DS practitioners and storytellers participating in community programmes as an effective tool for enhancing mutual trust and understanding, and "cultivating compassion" (Hardy & Sumner 2018) and unfolding "deep stories" (Nuñez-Janes, Thornburg, & Booker 2018). This methodology was developed in California, when a group of artists and media professionals started exploring the idea of using technologies to empower lay people to share their personal stories and to assist hidden voices that are generally not included into the public debate to emerge. Gravitating to the San Francisco Digital Media Center - founded in 1994 by Joe Lambert, Dana Atchley and Nina Mullen - they developed the basis for a community workshop called "digital storytelling." DS spread to Europe in 2001, when the BBC in partnership with the University of Cardiff, launched the award-winning project, Capture Wales, and subsequently organized the first international conference on DS in Cardiff, in 2003. Since then its growth in popularity and worldwide usage has been significant, thanks to its ability to facilitate "multiple kind of border crossings" (Nuñez-Janes, Thornburg & Booker 2017, p. 1) in terms of convergence of disciplines that have been nourishing the process itself, and also of countless applications as "sustainable social practice" (p. 1). The hybrid nature of DS, which combines narrative and creative processes with the use of technology to actualize the final output, makes it a powerful and flexible participatory approach that demonstrates relevance in several fields.

There are a variety of ways in which the DS method has been put into practice worldwide, but generally speaking, the DS process is comprised of five steps:

1) Briefing and Story-circle
In this phase, participants are introduced to the elements of a Digital Story and receive a clear explanation of the process and timescale involved. After the briefing, the actual storytelling process starts with a story-circle, during which participants come together (ideally in groups of 8-10 for each facilitator) to start sharing their first concept of a story.

2) Writing
The transition from a story told during the story-circle to an actual script happens in this step. The duration of this session can vary depending on how prepared participants are prior to arriving at the workshop; for example, if they had or hadn't already drafted a script (this might be asked in the preparation notes), or whether or not the sharing process is emotionally challenging (pauses are sometimes required to support the teller in the sharing process and to enable the listeners to fully empathise). The ultimate goal of this phase is to generate finalized scripts ready for voice recording.

3) Recording
Recording is the point at which the technical elements of DS begin to appear. Participants are assisted by the facilitator to record their voice-over (while reading the script) and edit the audio file. Both the technical quality of the audio and the "feel" of the voice are crucial in the "making" process.

4) Editing
During this phase, participants are guided in using video-editing software to combine the edited soundtrack with other sounds effects, personal photographs, other visual materials, titles, etc. Editing is predominantly a technical process, but the creative aspects and the collaboration among participants are fundamental.

5) Sharing
Generally, each DS workshop ends with a screening session, during which participants present their videos and share reflections on the process, giving each other feedback.

As we are discussing a "digital object," it is important to also reflect on the implications of sharing the story with a larger audience, if/when the video is published on the web. In particular, throughout the creative process, storytellers are invited to think about the potential of using multiple media platforms to create a narrative that could reach various audiences and if and how this could influence the content and the form of their story.

Previous and ongoing projects (such as "Digital Dialogue," which is led by M. Wilson at Loughborough University and funded by AHRC through the Connected Communities Programme as part of a larger project called "Creative Practice as Mutual Recovery," and the long lasting UK-based "Patient Voices" project ) have already explored the role and the value of storytelling to support mutual recovery. In these prior experiences, the Digital Storytelling process has been particularly effective in building a safe space, or emotional refuge, in which the act of sharing personal memories or imaginative projections of unaccepted realities can unfold unexpected narratives, reveal hidden memories and support the healing process.

What has not yet been explored, however, is how a Digital Storytelling approach could be combined with other creative and participatory practices to maximise its impact as therapeutic intervention and to develop a feasible and structured process that could be scaled up and applied as sustainable model. Among a huge variety of creative practices currently in use to improve mental health and wellbeing, Animation (via the GHM) and Jewellery constitute promising elements for a transformative experience and an innovative intervention to resolve traumatic grief, such as the potential of attributing emotional values to both tangible and intangible objects through creativity, alongside the opportunity to keep those values simultaneously private and shareable.
Jewellery as a bridge between animation and Digital Storytelling techniques
Jewellery is a form of applied art where the person uses and wears a piece of jewellery in "as a means of self-expression and self-exploration" (Liebmann 1990, p. 13). Jewellery has decorated our bodies for millennia; to which various functions and meanings have been attributed. The jewel itself has an immediate connotation of preciousness, regardless of the economic worth of the actual materials. The perception of treasure inherent to the possession and display of a jewel is commonly accepted in most societies. As a personal choice, wearing jewellery is akin to a self-affirmation of identity, feeling empowered by the bodily presence of the object, as it is often an extra tool to strengthen our personalities or to communicate feelings to the outer world. Some typologies of jewellery manifest their social power - demonstrating, for example, both wealth and intimacy, in terms of the engagement ring or wedding band. The powerful relationship between the object and the wearer becomes more sophisticated according to the complexity of the communicative role one demands of the jewel. In this instance, the jewellery acts as agency. Traditionally, one could expect this relationship between the wearer and the jewellery to be completed by the maker. This triangular form of communication - Maker-Wearer-Viewer - places an equal emphasis of each component of the cycle (Cunningham 2005; Bernabei 2011). This has been reflected in the recent work by jewellery makers and researchers when exploring the possibilities of digital jewellery.

Jewellery maker and researcher Jayne Wallace (2015) has employed craft-centred approaches to create wearable digital communication devices. When working with her participants, Wallace's intention is to explore their feelings about the pieces and their significance in their lives and relationships. Conversely, Trine Møller and Sarah Kettley propose a "humanistic accessory approach in that design approach which includes a wearer's physical, psychological and social preferences" (2017, n.p.). This suggests that digital jewellery has started to diversify with the various research approaches and the combination of different techniques. Although animated images have been used in jewellery as practice-based art and design research by other jewellers such as Sandra Wilson (Wallace 2007), only Wallace employs the imagery as an aid for wellbeing for patients affected by dementia (Wallace 2013). Our pilot project thus proposes to merge DS and the GHM with jewellery- making as a therapeutic participatory process.

In our framework, the jewellery acts as a self-expressive tool and for self-healing, which can be emotionally-charged through the process of making. Accordingly, the somatic awareness of the participant will be considered. Potentially, body consciousness could play an important factor in investing personal emotions and create an intimate relationship with the animated jewellery.

Animated jewellery can potentially carry an animation created by the participant, which adds another level of readability and embodiment in the object for the wearer but also for the viewer if the wearer decides to reveal the content. The benefit of wearing animated jewellery is primarily to the wearer, but it can also act to promote different levels of non-verbal communication to viewers before the wearer shows the video embedded in the jewel.
Coming Together: Digital Storytelling, Animation and Jewellery
After speaking to participants from the Made with Love project, it was necessary to commence investigations into the possibility of extending therapy by placing the digital outcome (the animation) into a piece of jewellery, to explore what that would mean for the participant and their healing process. It was necessary to also explore the technologies needed and consider the design of the participatory process from animation practice, through digital storytelling to jewellery practice. One participant agreed, "yes I would like my film in a piece of jewellery...a bracelet...in gold" (2017). The participant then went on to say "it would have great emotional value ... I would like to be involved in the design." Another participant noted that "it would be better if it was ... a keepsake" (2017) and expressed that three would be needed for her children, who had lost their father. It was the participant's decision to request the article to be made with gold, and to be part of the design process. It is clear that the jewellery-making process should be participant-led and only facilitated by the researchers, the materials used should be precious, and that these factors will embed emotional value into the piece.

Our research in this area has commenced, and we have outlined a detailed process wherein participants requiring therapeutic intervention embark on a journey of personal storytelling, reimagining and recording. First, they create an animated film; second, they extend their creative process by making decorative wearable item to contain or accompany their emotional transformations. Currently we have a wait list of participants who wish to engage in the new "therapeutic animated jewellery" process. While further studies are required to evaluate the therapeutic value of a participant-led process from the beginning of the animated preproduction process to a finished piece of jewellery, it is clear that there is potential in this concept that would bring another form of understanding to animation studies.
References
Bendazzi, G. (1994). Cartoons: one hundred years of cinema animation. 6th edn. London: John Libbey.

Bernabei, R., (2011). "Contemporary Jewellers: Interviews with European Artists." Bloomsbury (ex- Berg), Oxford.

Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln, Y. S. (2015). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Cunningham, J. (2005). Contemporary European narrative jewellery (Doctoral thesis), Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, UK. [Online] https://www.jackcunningham.co.uk Accessed March 2018.

Dalley, T. & Case, C., (1992). The Handbook of Art Therapy. London: Routledge

Hani, M. (2006). "Made with love: highly emotional animation work produced by the recently bereaved." Sunderland: University of Sunderland.

Hani, M. (2014). "Gender Renaissance: The Impact of Animation, the Production Process and Film (Good Hearts Model 2011) in Tackling Issues Surrounding and Relating to Having a Parent Who Is Transgender." In: A. Stone ed. The Contested and the Poetic: Gender and the Body 10, p. 144.

Hardy, P. & Sumner, T. eds, (2018). Cultivating Compassion: How Digital Storytelling is Transforming Healthcare. New York: Springer

Lambert, J. (2013). Digital Storytelling: Capturing Lives, Creating Community. New York: Routledge.
Liebmann, M. ed., (1990). Art Therapy in Practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd.
Møller, T., Kettley, S., (2017). "Wearable Health Technology Design: A Humanist Accessory Approach." International Journal of Design 11 (3). [Online] http://www.ijdesign.org/index.php/IJDesign/article/view/2842/792 Accessed March 2018.

Moore, A. C. (2016). "Heirloom Jewelry: An Actant of History and Identity". (Master"s thesis), Concordia University, Montreal Canada. [Online] https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/981295/1/Moore_MA_F2016.pdf

Nuñez-Janes, M., Thornburg, A. & Booker, A. (2018). Deep Stories. Practicing, Teaching, and Learning Anthropology with Digital Storytelling. Berlin, Boston: Sciendo Migration.
Rogers, C. R. (2007). "The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change", Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training 3, pp. 240-248.

Steffen, E. and Coyle, A. (2011). "Sense of Presence Experiences and Meaning-Making in Bereavement: A Qualitative Analysis", Death Studies 35 (7), pp. 579-609.

Tonight, N. E. (2006). "News Broadcast: Made With Love." Great Britain.

Wallace, J. Jackson, D., Ladha, C., Olivier, P., Monk, A., Blythe, M., Peter Wright, (2015) "Digital jewellery and family relationships", Retrieved on 24.03.18 from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=43A8B7220D9098192D08379A79E03324?doi
=10.1.1.580.7002&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Wallace, J., (2007) "Emotionally charged: A practice-centred enquiry of digital jewellery and personal emotional significance", (Doctoral thesis), Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK. Retrieved on
24.03.18 from https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Emotionally+charged%3A+A+practice- centred+enquiry+of+digital+jewellery+and+personal+emotional+significance%2C&ie=utf-8&oe=utf- 8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=siG6WpHaIPCstgf38qPYDg

Wallace, J. Wright, P., McCarthy, J., Green, D. P., Thomas, J., Olivier, P., (2013) "A design-led inquiry into personhood in dementia", CHI 13, Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Paris.

Wells, P. (1998) Understanding Animation. London: Routledge.
© Melanie Hani, Roberta Bernabei and Antonia Liguori Edited by Amy Ratelle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Melanie Hani, Roberta Bernabei & Antonia Liguori - The Good Hearts Model (GHM): an investigation into the extension of animation therapy; the GHM method with Digital Storytelling and Jewellery

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2006 at St Benedict's hospice, Sunderland (UK), a pilot project was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of using animation practice (creating films and working through the preproduction process; creating the necessary artwork leading to a film) to tackle issues surrounding and relating to loss and bereavement.

# data[].attributes.headline
Animation that Introduces Youth to Social Emotional Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Animation that Introduces Youth to Social Emotional Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Animation that Introduces Youth to Social Emotional Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Headspace animations For the launch of the new Headspace app we created a series of animations to support users on their meditation journey. We...

# data[].attributes.body
Headspace - The animated series The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island teaches mindfulness skills to help kids learn how to regulate their emotions in day-to-day life. Children will learn mindfulness tools and mental health principles, like meditation and breathing exercises for children, to help navigate stressful situations for kids in these short 10-minute animated episodes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The animated series The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island teaches mindfulness skills to help kids learn how to regulate their emotions in day-to-day life....

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Article Finder - What we know about emotional intelligence : how it affects learning, work, relationships, and our mental health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Leader’s Guide to Emotional Agility (Emotional Intelligence)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Leader’s Guide to Emotional Agility outlines 8 steps for achieving emotional agility and resilience: Step 1: Becoming authentic Step 2: Becoming self-aware Step 3: Becoming aware of others Step … - Selection from The Leader’s Guide to Emotional Agility (Emotional Intelligence) [Book]

# data[].attributes.headline
The Role of Emotion Regulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder

# data[].attributes.subject
The Role of Emotion Regulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Abstract

Keywords: arousal, autism spectrum disorder, comorbidity, emotion regulation, psychiatric disorders

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition diagnosed on the basis of impairments in socialization and social communication, as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors, is estimated to affect 1 in 88 in school age children. Emerging consensus indicates that ASD involves disruptions in connectivity and processing across brain regions. Thus, the impairments associated with ASD are pervasive, including a significant impact on emotional functioning. Common associated problems include irritability, aggression, self-injury, anxiety, and impulsivity.

Emotion regulation (ER) is a construct that may provide explanatory power for understanding the observed emotional and behavioral problems in ASD. ER is generally defined as the automatic or intentional modification of a person's emotional state that promotes adaptive or goal-directed behavior. Individuals with ASD may fail to employ adaptive ER strategies and instead react impulsively to emotional stimuli with tantrums, aggression, or self-injury. Such behaviors are often interpreted as deliberate or defiant, but may be due to inadequate management of emotion.

A common presenting complaint that exemplifies impaired ER in ASD includes intense reactions to stress or outbursts that are colloquially referred to as 'meltdowns.' The concern about 'meltdowns' can be inferred by the popularity of resources on this topic. For example, using the search-words of 'meltdown and autism' on Amazon.com identified 50 books. By contrast, a PsychInfo search of peer-reviewed articles with 'emotion regulation' and 'autism' in the abstract produced only 15 articles (10/12/12). This suggests a marked discrepancy between the perceived importance of these problems in ASD and the empirical investigation of the phenomenon. This paper aims to accelerate research on the underlying the expression and experience of impaired ER in ASD.

TERMS AND CONCEPTS

The study of ER can be traced back to early research on temperament. Temperament is a broader construct than ER, encompassing biologically-based individual differences in affective, attentional, and motor reactivity or response. The scientific study of ER as a distinct construct emerged only a few decades ago. Since then, there has been a burgeoning of research and proposed clinical approaches devoted to ER.

Despite its widespread use, the definition of ER is not straightforward. Emotions allow rapid appraisal of situations (external or internal stimuli) and preparation of subsequent actions to maintain wellbeing. Thus, emotions emanate from an individual's evaluation of a stimulus. The initial strength (i.e., intensity, speed) of this emotional response is often referred to as emotional reactivity or emotionality. The term regulation implies efforts to modify or control the intensity of the emotional reaction, usually in the service of an individual goal. The relation of emotionality and ER has been debated, with some researchers supporting a clear distinction, and others contending that emotion/emotionality and ER are inseparable. It is also important to distinguish between mood (e.g., depression) and emotion (e.g., sadness). Mood is a stable and enduring state, whereas emotion is usually tied to the appraisal of a specific situation and a subsequent behavioral response.

The emotional response involves multiple domains, such as behavior, subjective experience, and physiology. Definitions of ER have also included consideration of attention and motivation. A point of difference between emotionality and ER involves the integration of this information to control emotional responses through either unconscious or conscious processes. ER may decrease (i.e., down-regulate), increase (i.e., up-regulate), or simply maintain positive or negative emotions. These processes can be response-focused or occur prior to the emotional response (antecedent-focused).

METHOD TO STUDY ER

Behavioral/Clinical Method

Few studies have examined ER assessment methods for individuals with ASD. A general recommendation for the measurement of ER is multi-method assessment. Widely used observational methods for children include requiring a child to wait to open a surprise, and free play in an unstructured setting.. Another approach is the disappointment paradigm, during which the child receives an undesirable prize. In these methods, emotions are quantified based on ratings of facial and vocal indices. Other coded behaviors may include asking for information for reassurance and disruptive behaviors. The application of such approaches in children with ASD may be difficult to interpret if not evaluated in the context of the child's baseline behaviors and emotional expressions. Abnormal use of nonverbal communication, which is a diagnostic criterion for ASD, may explain unusual or limited facial expressions. In addition, the observable behaviors reflecting self-regulation may differ. For example, adults with ASD have commented that self-stimulatory behaviors (e.g., rocking) or intense focus on routines/rituals/circumscribed interests can be used for self-soothing. By contrast, these same behaviors may reflect distress. Thus, an extended baseline period of observation and historical information may be needed to accurately classify behavior as manifestations of distress versus deliberate self-soothing. Finally, despite the value of observational methods in developmental research, these methods may miss internal components of ER.

Interviews and questionnaires have been widely used in non-ASD populations to assess relevant internal processes. Advantages of interviews include the opportunity for the respondent to describe internal states and ER strategies in an open-ended manner. In addition, the examiner can ask for clarification or elaboration. Self-report questionnaires designed to study the internal processes of ER or putative cognitive biases related to emotional responses have also been used in non-ASD populations. However, there is limited research to support the psychometric properties or clinical utility of such self-report questionnaires in ASD. For example, a study of adolescents with ASD found no association between the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale for Children and self-reported depressive symptoms. This finding stands in sharp contrast to consistent evidence of an association in non-ASD populations. Whether this difference is due to differences in the mechanism underlying depression in ASD or reflects poor validity of this questionnaire in ASD is not clear. Another limitation of self-report questionnaires in ASD is difficulty applying them to nonverbal individuals, individuals with intellectual disability, and young children. Taken together, these considerations imply that measures of ER validated in the general population warrant careful re-assessment in youth with ASD.

Biologically-Based Method

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is relevant to understanding physiological processes of ER and offers the possibility of an objective assessment of ER. Heart rate variability (HRV; variation in interbeat intervals) is an index of autonomic flexibility. There are multiple measures of parasympathetically mediated HRV, such as respiratory sinus arrhymthmia (RSA). Studies examining RSA suggest that higher baseline levels of RSA are associated with flexible emotional responses. However, interpretation of changes in RSA from baseline differs depending on the context, which may be a particular consideration in ASD. Specifically, RSA suppression (i.e., decrease in RSA from baseline) may reflect effective coping in response to stressful situations. On the other hand, in contexts that are nonthreatening, effective ER is thought to be associated with an increase in RSA above baseline.

Accumulated results from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies provide insight into the neural circuitry of ER in clinical and nonclinical populations. In ASD, the challenge of finding ecologically valid means of eliciting emotion in a neuroimaging scanner is difficult given the idiosyncratic nature of emotional triggers in this population. Once an emotion is elicited, it may be difficult to differentiate the emotional response from efforts to regulate emotion. To date, fMRI studies in ASD have predominantly used higher-functioning individuals, perhaps due to the difficulties involved in engaging subjects with intellectual disability and those with receptive language deficits in fMRI tasks.

ER RESEARCH IN ASD

Research in ASD has focused more on emotional experience rather than ER. In general, this research suggest that youth with ASD, compared to non-ASD controls, have poorly differentiated emotional responses, exhibit more negative and less positive affect, and experience the physiological consequences of emotion with limited cognitive insight. Children with high-functioning ASD tend to rely on overt cues to describe their emotion (e.g., I was sad because I was crying) and provide nonspecific accounts of their emotional experiences. Although limited by small sample sizes and the assessment of predominantly high-functioning samples, available research suggests that individuals with ASD generally lack the emotional insight needed for effective ER.

Survey data in a few small studies support the presence of poor ER in ASD. Moreover, although the link has yet to be empirically established, ER deficits in children with ASD likely partially contribute to increased use of psychiatric services. A year-long study of the health care costs and utilization of 33,582 children (3,053 with ASD) found that children with ASD had almost 12 times more psychiatric hospital days than children without ASD, at almost 11 times the cost. Similarly, as many as 60% of children with ASD are prescribed psychotropic medications despite scant evidence that any medication is effective for the core features of ASD.

An emerging body of evidence supports the presence of inadequate ER strategies in ASD. For example, adults with ASD report less use of cognitive reappraisal and greater use of suppression than adults without ASD. This pattern persisted even after controlling for differences in emotional experiences and alexithymia (difficulty identifying and describing emotions). In addition, 2 separate observational studies of young children with ASD found that they were less likely to use adaptive coping strategies compared to children without ASD. No ER studies have included adolescents with ASD.

CONCEPTUALIZING POOR ER IN ASD

One possible explanation for inadequate ER in ASD is the co-occurrence of a psychiatric disorder that accounts for the deficit. Alternatively, poor ER may be intrinsic to ASD. It could also be that specific psychiatric disorders and ER deficits in ASD share clinical or neurobiological features in common, making it difficult to disentangle the source of the behavioral disturbance.

Psychiatric Comorbidity

There is a reciprocal relationship between maladaptive ER and psychiatric disorders, such that poor ER increases risk for developing a psychiatric disorder, and having a psychiatric disorder interferes with adaptive regulation. Additionally, poor ER is a common mechanism across many disorders, and its behavioral manifestation is often what prompts referral for treatment. The presence of emotion dysregulation in ASD is often interpreted as evidence of an additional psychiatric disorder. Among community samples, 71-80% of children with ASD have at least 1 concurrent psychiatric diagnosis, and 41% have 2 or more. Even higher rates are observed in clinically-referred samples. For example, children with ASD seen in a psychopharmacology clinic were diagnosed with an average of 6.4 concurrent psychiatric disorders using a standard psychiatric interview.

However, co-occurring psychiatric disorders may be overdiagnosed in this population when using standard diagnostic measures. A study of 35 high-functioning adolescents with ASD found that the majority (~60%) of prior psychiatric diagnoses were not supported by a psychiatric interview that was modified to take ASD-related impairment into account. The results of this pilot study highlight the need for validated diagnostic measures in ASD to separate the behavioral correlates of ASD and symptoms of other psychiatric disorders.

This issue of diagnostic boundaries shares some of the challenges of severe mood dysregulation and irritability in non-ASD samples. The new diagnostic category, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, aims to differentiate individuals with impaired mood regulation from individuals with bipolar disorder. It is not yet clear how this diagnosis will apply to individuals with ASD and emotion dysregulation. In a study of 91 adolescents with ASD, over 25% of the ASD group had severe mood dysregulation, but the neurocognitive correlates associated with severe mood problems differed from non-ASD samples. Therefore, it may be that manifestations of emotion dysregulation in ASD are somewhat distinct from non-ASD youth.

Shared Risk Factors With Other Disorders

Impaired ER has been associated with several disorders, including anxiety and mood disorders and borderline personality disorder. Some of the mechanisms thought to underlie inadequate ER in these populations may have relevance to ASD as well. Below we consider the tripartite model of anxiety and depression and some key findings regarding the neural circuitry implicated in ER.

Characteristics of ASD that Influence ER

The functionalist perspective of ER posits that a person consciously seeks to regulate positive and negative emotions in order to attain set goals. Clinical observations in ASD support a tendency to react to emotional stimuli intensely without clear goal-directedness. The few ER studies done to date in ASD suggest the use of suppression, resignation, and avoidance, which lends some support to the notion that ER in ASD lacks the motivational component thought to be integral to ER in non-ASD populations. This apparent lack of motivation for ER may be compounded by poor emotional insight and self-monitoring.

Adaptive ER strategies are contextually dependent and applied selectively, based on the situation. By contrast, maladaptive strategies tend to be universally applied. Given the problems with cognitive flexibility and difficulties in modulating behavior in people with ASD, greater use of maladaptive strategies and less effective implementation of adaptive strategies is not surprising. In addition, deficits in perspective taking may limit the ability to evaluate the responses of others, lead to misunderstanding and frustration, and hinder accurate reappraisal of a situation.

Differences in information processing and perception in ASD, ranging from slower processing to a heightened sensitivity to environmental influences (e.g., sensory sensitivity, resistance to change) may also affect ER in ASD. For example, the drive to modulate sensory input to a comfortable level may override and interfere with ER. A lower threshold for sensory information (hypersensitivity) may lead to intense and easily triggered reactions, whereas hyposensitivity (higher sensory thresholds) may be associated with disruptive and dysregulated behavior. A recent study found that cortical responses to sensory stimuli in ASD are markedly unreliable, with large within-subject differences in amplitude across trials. This may help to explain observations of aberrant and inconsistent responses to sensory information among people with ASD. It also raises the question of whether evoked emotional responses are similarly unreliable (e.g., whether neural responses to emotion are variable across time). If so, this would interfere with the ability to identify and respond to emotional experiences appropriately.

DISCUSSION

Despite the many challenges involved in studying ER in ASD, this area of inquiry has the potential to improve understanding of the neural circuitry of ASD itself as well as pave the way for new and more effective treatments. Therefore, ER warrants assessment in both clinical and research settings. However, many questions remain regarding the mechanisms that lead to impaired ER in ASD and the implications for treatment (see ). Our framework proposes that neural mechanisms shared with other psychiatric disorders, in combination with ASD-related behavioral and cognitive characteristics, interact to produce the heterogeneous presentations of emotion dysregulation in ASD (see ). The inclusion of ASD characteristics that are likely to influence ER disruption makes our model ASD-specific, yet we posit that ER is a dimensional construct that cuts across disorders (cf. Research Domain Criteria [RDoC]). It may be possible to develop transdiagnostic treatments for ER that are effective for many diagnostic populations, with modifications included to address the unique aspects of emotion dysregulation in ASD.

We propose that impaired ER may be intrinsic to ASD. However, this may increase risk for developing a psychiatric disorder and co-occurring psychiatric disorders contribute to the clinical picture in some cases. Nonetheless, the reported prevalence of concurrent psychiatric disorders in individuals with ASD may be overstated in order to explain the behavioral manifestations of emotion dysregulation. Impaired ER may be a more parsimonious explanation for the degree to which problems with anger and aggression (externalizing behaviors) as well as anxiety and depression (internalizing behaviors) are seen in ASD. A balance between understanding emotion dysregulation inherent to ASD (perhaps through the identification of subtypes) and the presence of a separate psychiatric disorder is needed. Situations marked by a new constellation of behaviors and symptoms that reflect a clear change in the individual's functioning may call for a second diagnosis (e.g., an episodic mood disorder). Greater clarity will occur when we understand how the developmental, neural, cognitive, and behavioral features of these psychiatric disorders differ in ASD compared to the non-ASD population.

Research on ER in ASD is likely to require a multimethod approach, preferably combining physiological or neural measures with behavioral measures. An advantage of physiological and neuroimaging approaches is their ability to detect a response even if other factors (e.g., impaired language or insight, or alexithymia) limit the accuracy of self-report. Paradigms are needed to capture the often idiosyncratic emotional triggers in ASD. Self-reports have obvious pitfalls in ASD, but hold potential for obtaining information about specific manifestations of anxiety and internal processes. For this reason, there is a need to develop and validate self-report ER measures in ASD.

In order to understand ER in ASD, representative samples with a variety of emotional presentations (from blunted to labile) are needed. Longitudinal studies will help tease apart whether ER development in ASD is delayed versus deviant and will also identify age effects in ER. In addition, given the role of language in ER development, ASD samples spanning a range of language and intellectual abilities will be necessary. Integration of research into specialized inpatient psychiatry units that serve a high volume of children with ASD and other developmental disorders is one way to access large numbers of children with ASD and limited verbal ability. Treatment development studies related to ER should also include participants representing the full range of verbal and cognitive abilities.

As we await research on the feasibility and efficacy of psychosocial, pharmacological, and other (e.g., biofeedback) treatment approaches for impaired ER in ASD, clinicians must draw upon the extant research from other clinical populations and make adaptations when necessary for clients with ASD. To assess ER in a clinical context, careful observation of behavior may be most informative and applicable regardless of the individual's verbal ability or cognitive function. For example, how does the individual react to disappointment (e.g., parent 'forgot' a favorite snack) or uncertainty (e.g., examiner asks individual to wait while she organizes papers), as well as positive emotions, such as receiving a reward? Such observational data, combined with parent- and self-report, may be feasible in most practice settings and provide information useful to case conceptualization. If it is determined that poor ER is an explanatory factor for the clinical presentation, psychoeducation for the patient and family on ER and adaptive and maladaptive strategies can be useful. In some cases, caregivers may not realize their reliance on a maladaptive strategy and that these strategies are modeled for the patient. Psychoeducation about ASD and ER can promote a validating environment and acceptance of the individual's difficulties (similar to dialectical behavior therapy) as well as recognition of the individual's strengths. Other treatment strategies could include developing the client's awareness of his/her own internal state in order to prepare for potentially difficult situations. Helping the individual to identify situations when an ER strategy should be used (flexibility in implementation) is essential in addition to specific ER skills (e.g., acceptance, reappraisal).

Approaching externalizing behaviors in ASD from the perspective of impaired ER also suggests alternate pharmacologic approaches, such as the use of alpha-2 agonists. Alpha-2 agonists decrease sympathetic tone, and thus can be conceptualized as targeted treatment for the emotional reactivity and hyperarousal that is characteristic of poor ER in ASD. Though there is insufficient evidence for alpha-2 agonists in ASD at this time, a large multi-site trial of a long acting alpha-2 agonist for children with ASD is underway, and may provide further evidence for this pathway.

Application of a validated dimensional measure reflecting an emotional and behavioral composite, termed "irritability," in randomized clinical trials led to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of two medications in children with DSM-IV-defined autistic disorder. These successful drug treatment programs point the way forward and suggest that validating other emotional profiles may also affirm important treatment targets. In addition, there is preliminary evidence that psychosocial interventions targeting ER skills can effectively reduce outbursts and negativity in young children with ASD, but much more work in this area is needed. Measures of ER that are reliable and valid across the full range of youth with ASD and sensitive to change have yet to be developed. Development of such a dimensional measure requires a better understanding of ER in the full ASD population, and moving beyond strict, categorical approaches.

Acknowledgments

This manuscript was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant K23HD060601 (C.A.M.), Slifka/Ritvo Award for Innovation in Autism Research (C.A.M.), AdvanceVT (S.W.W.), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grant R01MH99021 (L.S.).

Footnotes

Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Disclosure: Dr. Herrington has received research funding from Shire Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Scahill has received research funding from NIMH, Roche, Pfizer, and Shire; has served as a consultant for Biomarin and Bracket; and has received royalties from Guilford Publications. Dr. Scarpa has received funding from Autism Speaks and has received royalties from Guilford Publications, Oxford Press, and from the sale of the Stress and Anger Management Program (STAMP) Treatment Manual through Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Dr. White has received royalties from Guilford Publications. Drs. Mazefsky and Seigel, and Ms. Maddox report no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

Contributor Information

Carla A. Mazefsky, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

John Herrington, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Matthew Siegel, Spring Harbor Hospital and Tufts Medical Center.

Angela Scarpa, Virginia Tech.

Brenna B. Maddox, Virginia Tech.

Lawrence Scahill, Emory University.

Susan W. White, Virginia Tech.

References

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Role of Emotion Regulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder RH: Emotion Regulation in ASD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Keywords: arousal, autism spectrum disorder, comorbidity, emotion regulation, psychiatric disorders Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition diagnosed on the basis of impairments in socialization and social communication, as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors, is estimated to affect 1 in 88 in school age children.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Role of Emotion Regulation and Children's Early Academic Success

# data[].attributes.subject
The Role of Emotion Regulation and Children's Early Academic Success

# data[].attributes.body
This study investigated the role of children's emotion regulation skills and academic success in kindergarten, using a sample of 325 five-year-old children.

Results indicated that emotion regulation was positively associated with teacher reports of children's academic success and productivity in the classroom and standardized early literacy and math achievement scores.The early childhood years have recently been identified as a crucial period for the development of important executive functions such as attention, inhibition, working memory (Anderson, 2002; Blair, 2002) and literacy skills (Aram, 2005) that are necessary for successful school transition and later academic success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The IP address used for your Internet connection is part of a subnet that has been blocked from access to PubMed Central. Addresses across the entire subnet were used to download content in bulk, in violation of the terms of the PMC Copyright Notice.

# data[].attributes.body
how this animation uses characters and a light hearted age-appropriate manner to tell what is actually a serious topic.

# data[].attributes.body
example 2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3D Animation 2 emotions - Happy Emotion -  Angry Emotion

# data[].attributes.body
example

# data[].attributes.body
could argue the style of this makes it too creepy and slipping out of age appropriate? Could ask in survey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Think! | "The Boy Who Didn't Stop, Look and Listen"

# data[].attributes.body
No dialogue, yet messages and storyline is still clear. Children can still interpret messages from visual stimli

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover new words and join in the activities with Timmy and his friends in this fun learning series developed by Aardman and the British Council, world experts in teaching English.

# data[].attributes.body
10.01-10.39

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ep 7: Breathing Through Fear | The Mindful Adventures of Unicorn Island

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bluey | Learn About Feelings With Bluey  😊 | Disney Kids

# data[].attributes.body
Bluey- Disney junior programme that has a theme of discussing difficult topics like death and grief.

Bluey finds a sick bird. Normal tv trope would be suspense but then the animal gets better. Here the animal passes away, and we see Bluey and her family handle the grief. when the vet says "the budgie died" even in children's shows that show grief its sugar coated and tends not to use words like died and death so bluntly. But honesty is needed to teach children at times.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Bluey Shows Grief in Children Perfectly (Copycat Deep Dive)

# data[].attributes.body
Survey geared towards participants of adult age who have children

# data[].attributes.body
If you have young children who enjoy watching Cocomelon, it’s important to know that this show can be very stimulating for their developing brains. Like a drug, bright colors and fast-paced music can cause a release of dopamine in the brain, which can lead to addictive behaviors and withdrawal symptoms. Over time, children may become dysregulated and have difficulty playing creatively without the constant stimulation provided by the show.

Additionally, studies have found that excessive screen time can lead to language delays, short attention spans, hyperactivity, and behavioural problems.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Positive Effects of Television on Child Development

Negative Effects of Television on Child Development

Educational benefits: Educational programming can introduce children to new ideas, language, and information. Educational shows can also promote curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.

Reduced physical activity: Watching too much television can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which can increase the risk of obesity and other health problems.

Exposes children to diversity: Television can expose children to different cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives, which can foster empathy, understanding, and acceptance.

Exposure to violence: Exposure to violence in television programs or movies can desensitize children to violent behavior and make them more aggressive.

Entertainment and relaxation: Television can provide a source of entertainment and relaxation for children, which can be beneficial for their emotional and mental well-being.

Sleep disturbance: Watching television late at night can disrupt children's sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

Language development: Educational TV shows can introduce children to new words and concepts, improve their vocabulary, and encourage them to engage in conversations and pretend play.

Addiction: Television can be addictive, and excessive screen time can lead to behavioral problems, difficulty concentrating, and poor academic performance.

Cognitive skills: Educational TV shows can help children develop problem-solving skills, number concepts, and basic science knowledge.

Negative body image: Children who are exposed to unrealistic body images on television may develop negative body image and self-esteem issues.

Social-emotional skills: Educational TV shows can model positive social behaviors, such as cooperation, empathy, and emotional regulation.

Negative impact on academic performance: Watching too much television can lead to poorer academic performance and lower grades.

Parent-child interactions: Educational TV shows can facilitate parent-child interactions by providing a shared topic of conversation and promoting joint engagement.

Difficulty with face-to-face communication: Excessive screen time can interfere with a child's ability to engage in face-to-face communication and social interaction.

Exposure to different cultures and lifestyles: Television can expose children to different cultures and lifestyles, promoting acceptance and diversity.

Risk of exposure to inappropriate content: Children who watch television unsupervised may be exposed to inappropriate content, such as violence, sex, or drug use.

Research suggests that the amount of screen time that is appropriate for a child depends on several factors, including their age, developmental stage, and individual needs.

Studies have also shown that educational TV shows, such as Sesame Street, can have a positive impact on a child's development in several ways, including language development, cognitive skills, social-emotional skills, and parent-child interactions. However, it's important to note that not all TV shows marketed as educational are actually beneficial, and screen time should be balanced with other activities such as physical activity, social interaction, and creative play.

Overall, parents should be aware of their child's screen time habits and make adjustments as needed to ensure a healthy balance. This may involve limiting exposure, watching shows with their children to promote conversation and joint engagement, and making sure their child is getting enough physical activity and face-to-face interaction for proper social development. Ultimately, moderation and a thoughtful approach to choosing appropriate media for their children can help parents ensure their child's healthy development.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average American child spends a significant amount of time on screens each day. The average daily hours of screen time vary by age group:

8-10 years old: Six hours.

11-14 years old: Nine hours.

15-18 years old: Seven and 1/2 hours

The amount of screen time that is appropriate for a child depends on several factors, including the child's age, developmental stage, and individual needs. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides some guidelines for parents to help them manage their child's screen time:

For children under 18 months old: avoid screen time other than video chatting with family and friends.

For children aged 18 to 24 months: introduce high-quality programming or apps, but watch it together with your child to help them understand what they are seeing.

For children aged 2 to 5 years: limit screen time to one hour per day of high-quality programming or apps.

For children aged 6 and older: set consistent limits on the amount of screen time and the types of media that are allowed.

First and foremost, moderation is key. Parents should limit their child's screen time to no more than 1 hour per day for children aged 2-5 years and set consistent limits on the amount of screen time for older children. Short episodes are best, and parents should watch shows with their children to encourage conversation and engagement.

Parents should also prioritize alternative activities, such as physical activity, social interaction, and creative play, to promote healthy development. Additionally, parents should choose media that is age-appropriate, educational and promotes positive values and behaviors. Seeking out reviews and recommendations from trusted sources can also help parents make informed decisions about media for their children.

As a parent, it is important to be mindful of your child's screen time habits and make informed decisions about media consumption.

1. Moderation is key: Limit your child's media usage to less than 3 hours per day, as research has shown that excessive screen time can lead to attention and behavior problems.

2. Short episodes are best: Choose shows or games with short episodes to prevent overexposure and encourage your child to engage in other activities.

3. Limit exposure: Set consistent limits on the amount of screen time and the types of media that are allowed. Encourage alternative activities such as physical activity, social interaction, and creative play.

4. Watch shows with your kids: Watch shows or play games with your children to talk about what they are watching or playing. This can promote conversation, engagement, and critical thinking.

5. Don't let it be a babysitter: Avoid using media as a babysitter or to occupy your child for extended periods of time.

6. Encourage physical activity and face-to-face engagement: Make sure your child is getting enough physical activity and face-to-face engagement with you and other children for proper social development.

7. Play, play, play: Play is crucial for cognitive and social development, so encourage your child to engage in creative play, problem-solving, and exploration.

As a parent, it's understandable to be concerned about your child's screen time usage. While some screen time can have positive benefits for children, it's important to be aware of the potential negative effects, especially when it comes to excessive screen time and hyper-stimulating media like CocoMelon. As such, it's crucial to prioritize moderation, encourage alternative activities, and choose age-appropriate, educational media to support healthy development and overall well-being for your child.
Citations:
Hermawati, D., Rahmadi, F. A., Sumekar, T. A., & Winarni, T. I. (2018). Early electronic screen exposure and autistic-like symptoms. Intractable & rare diseases research, 7(1), 69-71. https://doi.org/10.5582/irdr.2018.01007

Intusoma, U., Mo-Suwan, L., Ruangdaraganon, N., Panyayong, B., & Chongsuvivatwong, V. (2013). Effect of television viewing on social-emotional competence of young Thai children. Infant behavior & development, 36(4), 679-685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2013.07.001

Zimmerman, F. J., & Christakis, D. A. (2005). Children's television viewing and cognitive outcomes: a longitudinal analysis of national data. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 159(7), 619-625. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.159.7.619
Always remember... "Calm Brain, Happy Family™" Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regime. *The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment vary by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC does not guarantee certain results. Dr. Roseann and her team are all about solutions, so you are in the right place! There are 3 ways to work with Dr. Roseann:

1. In-person at her Ridgefield, CT center

2. Virtually with her at home neurofeedback and coaching programs

3. By joining my Natural Parenting Solutions for ADHD, EF, LD, Anxiety, OCD, Mood & PANS/PANDAS Community

You can get her books for parents and professionals, including:It's Gonna Be OK™: Proven Ways to Improve Your Child's Mental Health, Teletherapy Toolkit™ and Brain Under Attack: A Resource For Parents and Caregivers of Children With PANS, PANDAS, and Autoimmune Encephalopathy.

If you are a business or organization that needs proactive guidance to support employee mental health or an organization looking for a brand representative, check out Dr. Roseann's professional speaking page to see how we can work together.

Dr. Roseann is a Children's Mental Health Expert and Therapist who has been featured in/on hundreds of media outlets including, CBS, NBC, FOX News, PIX11 NYC, The New York Times, The Washington Post,, Business Insider, USA Today, CNET, Marth Stewart, and PARENTS. FORBES called her, "A thought leader in children's mental health."

She is the founder and director of The Global Institute of Children's Mental Health and Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge. Dr. Roseann is a Board Certified Neurofeedback (BCN) Practitioner, a Board Member of the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society (NRBS), Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP) and an Amen Clinic Certified Brain Health Coach. She is also a member of The International Lyme Disease and Associated Disease Society (ILADS), The American Psychological Association (APA), Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) and The Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB).

© Roseann-Capanna-Hodge, LLC 2023

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a psychologist, I have been asked numerous times about the effects of screen time on children, and more recently, in relation to Autism and CocoMelon. Screen time has been a topic of debate for...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While rates of mental ill health do increase as children get older, early intervention is key to giving young people the best start in life.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Semiotics of Animation. From Traditional Forms to Contemporary Innovations

# data[].attributes.subject
The Semiotics of Animation. From Traditional Forms to Contemporary Innovations

# data[].attributes.headline
Do Animations Impair Executive Function in Young Children? 

# data[].attributes.subject
Do Animations Impair Executive Function in Young Children? 

# data[].attributes.body
researchers have begun to focus on the effects of educational and entertainment television programs on children’s EF and other cognitive functions.

Some studies found that viewing entertainment-based programs resulted in young children showing poorer cognitive responses than viewing educational programs.

They found that viewing educational programs before the age of three years was not associated with attention problems five years later, whereas viewing violent and nonviolent entertainment programs before that age was significantly associated with attention problems five years later [23].

1.2. The Current Study.

Viewing cartoons impairs subsequent EF performance in children aged four to seven years, as evidenced by the fact that viewing entertainment animation impairs children’s IC and CF, whereas viewing educational animations did not affect children’s performance on each task of EF. Entertainment animation viewing behavior still needs to be limited and reduced for children younger than seven years.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Do Animations Impair Executive Function in Young Children? Effects of Animation Types on the Executive Function of Children Aged Four to Seven Years

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This study used a three (animation types: educational, entertainment, and control groups) × four (age group: four-, five-, six-, and seven-year-olds) between-group experimental design to investigate the short-term effects of animation type and…

# data[].attributes.body
Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The IP address used for your Internet connection is part of a subnet that has been blocked from access to PubMed Central. Addresses across the entire subnet were used to download content in bulk, in violation of the terms of the PMC Copyright Notice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
`This publication is a valuable and timely contribution to the current investigations into the behaviours of children and young people that impact on their emotional health. The book will serve as a practical guide for schools addressing the problem as they see it, the case studies vividly illustrating situations and behaviours that teachers will readily recognise. This is a well structured book. [It] deserves to be read and can serve as a source of information on how various behaviours have been defined, investigated and addressed. It will be of value to any school, much more than a topical or interesting read but as the basis of an institutional response to a problem seriously affecting educational achievement for individuals and schools. It would particularly serve as a stimulus to in-service training for teachers and support staff′ - George Varnava, Young Minds Magazine ′Each of the authors has considerable relevant expertise so the text is rich both in research data and examples, including case studies, from their experience. Readers will find a wealth of practical advice and encouragement that is balanced by the acknowledgement of the limitations of individual interventions and the potential costs, overt and hidden, of each one. A whole-school approach is advocated and exemplified, including schools that have considered the needs of the staff′ - Child and Adolescent Mental Health `This work would be of use throughout all age ranges as the different problems and strategies are very easily accessible with a lot of proven, practical support. Professor Cowie and her colleagues have produced a valuable tool for use in all schools on both micro and macro level′ - Education Review `The book is an impressive and useful handbook of advice and resources. More than that, because it presents so much evidence, it′s able to show, rather than tell, how schools can improve life for their pupils and teachers′ - Gerald Haigh, TES Friday Magazine `This book is recommended for the wealth of practical information it contains about strategies that can help young people in distress′ - Youth Studies Australia Secondary school is the place where young people are most constrained, observed and challenged to develop. This is not necessarily a stress free process, either for the young person, or for teachers and parents. This book describes behaviours, both disruptive and secretive, which indicates emotional distress. It looks at both the risk factors and the protective factors involved in emotional health, and addresses the impact of issues such as bullying, social exclusion, loss and bereavement. The authors show what schools can do to develop practices grounded in knowledge about the mental health issues which relate to young people. In an accessible way, they present a range of strategies which practitioners have shown to be effective. They focus especially on methods and policies, which have been scientifically evaluated, or which are considered best practice. Issues and interventions are illustrated throughout with case studies drawn from the authors′ own practice and experience. Each of the authors has a long-standing interest in ways of creating supportive environments to prevent distress and to facilitate resilience in the young. This book is essential reading for secondary school teachers, educational psychologists, education welfare officers and all those with pastoral care responsibilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is encouraging Queensland drivers to follow the law and best practice recommendations when travelling with children.

A passenger who is under four years old must not be seated in the front row of a motor vehicle that has two or more rows of seats, under any circumstances.

When all rear seats are taken by children under seven years of age, a child between age four and seven may sit in the front seat.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is encouraging parents and carers to familiarise themselves with Queensland Road Rules and best practice recommendations when travelling in vehicles with children.

The awareness boost follows recent discussion on popular children's program, Bluey about where children may legally sit in vehicles on Queensland's roads. The episode referenced Queensland Road Rules when safety advocate Chilli was travelling with four young pups. At TMR we have long endorsed Bluey as a positive representation of Queensland, particularly now the program is helping to educate viewers on road safety, sparking important conversations globally.

Since the episode aired on Sunday evening, TMR has gone viral after providing clarification on the rules and best practice on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), with over 1,000 comments from people contributing to a conversation on safety. TMR's specific road rules webpage ' Where children should sit ' also received a 1,00% increase in page views directly after the episode went to air.

In Queensland, children aged between four and seven can legally sit in the front seat of a two row vehicle if all other seats are taken by children under seven, but they are safest in the back seat until age 12. In this scenario it is safest if the child in the front seat is placed in an untethered booster seat and the front seat moved back.

Children aged seven and above can legally sit in a normal seat with an adult seatbelt, however it is recommended they remain in a booster seat until their shoulders go past the maximum height marker. Most children are not big enough to fit into a standard seat until age 11 or 12.

TMR and Kidsafe Queensland have developed free resources to support parents and carers in their decision making, including a new instructional video series on how to correctly install and use child restraints. These can be accessed via https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/parents.

The National Transport Commission will be conducting a review of the Australian Road Rules relating to child restraints in the 2024-25 financial year.
Quotes attributable to Bart Mellish, Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister
"I love that the Bluey team took the time to research the road rules for their latest episode.

"It's great to see the community engage in a healthy discussion about the safety of children in vehicles following the recent episode of Bluey. It provides a timely reminder for parents to consider both the law and best practice when making a decision.

"Road safety is TMR's number one priority, and we are particularly committed to equipping parents and carers with the right information to protect children on our roads.

"Late last year, we released a video series highlighting how to correctly and safely fit child restraints for children of all sizes, taking the mystery out of installing and using many of the different child restraints available.

"Every driver is responsible for ensuring their passengers are buckled up correctly before starting a journey, and we want to help parents and carers feel confident that they are not just doing the right thing, but the safest thing.

"TMR welcomes the planned review of Australian Road Rules relating to child restraints in the 2024-25 financial year by the National Transport Commission.

"This is a significant step forward in our collective efforts to enhance road safety, particularly for our youngest passengers, by ensuring our child restraint rules remain up to date with emerging best practice."
Quotes attributable to Kidsafe Qld CEO, Susan Teerds:
"We want to impress upon people to consider the child's age and their size as well as the law when deciding which child car restraint to use and the seating position.

"Consider for example, forward-facing restraints-just because a child is legally old enough to face forward in their restraint, they must meet the minimum height marker before forward facing and are safest if kept rear-facing as long as possible or for as long as they still fit their rear-facing restraint.

"The same goes for transitioning to an adult seatbelt when your child turns seven. Just because it is legal, doesn't mean they are big enough to come out of their child restraint and into an adult seat.

"In fact, children are typically not big enough to use an adult seat and seatbelt until around age 11 or 12, and fit will vary depending on the child's body geometry and the type of vehicle. That's why we strongly encourage parents to use the '5 step test' to determine whether a child is big enough to progress to an adult seat in every vehicle they ride in.

"Until the age of seven years a child is required to be seated in a compliant child car restraint. If a small child is on the adult seat with the seatbelt on the side of their neck and up on their tummy they may be in danger of serious injury. If in the front seat, the airbag can cause serious injuries to young and smaller children.

"We want parents to make sure their child is in the right restraint for their size and that they are using it correctly, as these factors can influence the degree of injury in the event of a crash."
Fast Facts

The seatbelts campaign and videos can be viewed here.

The child restraint series, produced in partnership with Kidsafe Queensland, is available here.

Thirteen per cent of Queenslanders admit they wear seatbelts incorrectly (under the arm or sitting on the seatbelt), or not at all.

During 2022, 1,524 of the infringement notices issued to drivers in Queensland for restraint related offences involved children aged under 16.

During 2022-23, there were 13 child fatalities, which is 4.7 per cent of fatalities as a result of crashes in Queensland. This is five (27.8 per cent) fewer than the previous year and one (5.8 per cent) fewer than the previous five-year average.

Fines and demerit points apply for not wearing a seatbelt and for incorrectly fastened and adjusted seatbelts (for example a seatbelt worn under the arm).

The penalty for not wearing a seatbelt properly or at all is a $1161 fine and four demerit points. A driver may be fined for each unrestrained or incorrectly restrained passenger in the vehicle. Passengers aged 16 years or older may be fined for not wearing a seatbelt or incorrectly wearing a seatbelt.

ENDS
Media contact - Minister Mellish's office - 0419 288 284

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bluey episode highlights car safety for kids, for real life!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is encouraging Queensland drivers to follow the law and best practice recommendations when travelling with children. A passenger who is under four years old must not be seated in the front row of a motor vehicle that has two or more rows of seats, under any circumstances.

# data[].attributes.body
How does my animation need to be designed. How colour, sounds style effects emotions.

What emotional regulation tactics are schools currently teaching.

Who are the top writers in the field at the moment.

Alterations to survey- take out hedgehog advert and compare with Bluey?

Can be more direct in questions also.

Still need to hone in on niche.

Also pick specific age range.

# data[].attributes.body
Mon 17th - Sun 23rd June

# data[].attributes.body
Initial Storyboard. Storyline follows a character arriving at a bus stop to catch a bus, but character is overtired and falls asleep on the bus stop bench, before being jolted awake by a bus, however, it drives past, leaving the character stood at the bus stop. The character crouches over, hands over their head, yells in a burst of anger. They then realise that they need to calm and regulate their emotions so they relax their shoulders and begin breathing exercises. Once calmed they walk back to the bench and wait for the next bus. The blue highlighted boxes are the scenes I've chosen to move forward with and will make a secondary storyboard from.

# data[].attributes.body
Here is my more refined storyboard where I've focused more on the camera and expressions of the character. Some more close-up angles on the face have been added as I want to depict this emotional change and regulation and some close-ups on the face will allow the audience to get a clear angle of what the character is feeling.

# data[].attributes.body
I filmed 5 references and from these I chose this as my reference to move forward with from my storyboard

# data[].attributes.body
Monday 24th- Sun 30th June

# data[].attributes.body
image reference for maya scene

# data[].attributes.body
image reference for maya scene

# data[].attributes.body
Finish and distribute survey

Build Maya scene

Begin blocking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How SurveyMonkey Works: Get Started for Free | SurveyMonkey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how SurveyMonkey helps you create free online surveys and forms with ease, so you can get powerful insights that drive growth in your organization.

# data[].attributes.body
2D draw background, apply to plane

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are lots of way to feel calmer. Try our breathing exercises, activities and games or watch a video to help let go of stress.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teach Kids to Handle Big Feelings — Coping Skills for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Coping Skills for Kids has products and resources to help parents and professionals teach children healthy ways to cope with stress, anxiety and anger.

We offer a coping skills checklist, a feelings thermometer and deep breathing printables available for download. We also have Ready to Use Coping Skills Cue Cards, a perfect visual reminder for kids to use a coping skill when they are stressed, anxious or frustrated.

We also have the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, with over 75 coping strategies for calming anxiety, dealing with stress and managing anger. It’s written in a way that older elementary school students could read it on their own, and it’s ideal for families and therapists.

We also offer some helpful tools for kids to use as coping skills, like fidgets, calming jars and zen gardens. Take a peek at what’s in the store today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP

About Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids

Have you ever been so upset that someone told you to "take a deep breath"? When we are stressed, frightened or in pain, we automatically tighten up and hold our breath. Over time, that can lead to headaches, anxiety and even high blood pressure.

Learning how to stay calm is a very important life skill. Unfortunately, many people in our culture never learn it (or can only calm by eating, sleeping, watching TV or using drugs and alcohol). Yet all adults-and children-have a powerful natural stress-reducer: simple breathing!

Just a few sloooow deep breaths (magic breathing) can quickly bring a sense of peace. Deep breathing exercises help impulsive toddlers learn to turn their motor off. With a little practice, your little friend can learn how to use this superb self-soothing skill anytime he's frustrated, scared, hurt or mad. It is a self-control tool your child can use forever.

Benefits of Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing exercises have a number of benefits. Deep breathing...

Decreases stress and anxiety

Calms you down

Boosts immune function

Increases energy

Helps you think clearly

When is your child ready for deep breathing exercises?

It's best used for toddlers over 2 years of age (who can already wait patiently for a minute).

Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids

Magic breathing-or deep breathing-is as simple as breathing, but before you teach your bouncy little tyke, it's important for you to learn it.

First, you practice deep breathing exercises:

Relax your face. When the house is quiet, turn off the phone and take 2-3 minutes for yourself. Sit in a comfy chair, uncross your legs, put your hands in your lap, drop your shoulders, and--most important--let the tiny muscles around your mouth and eyes get very soft and relaxed.

Take a few slow breaths. Slowly inhale through your nose (as you silently count to 5) then slowly exhale through your nose (for another silent 5 counts). Make a little whooshy sound as the air flows in and out, and never hold your breath.

As you breathe in, let one hand slowly rise and as you breathe out, let it slowly drop.

Practice where your child can watch. He may get curious and want to imitate you.

Now, you're ready to teach your little one!

How to Teach Your Child Deep Breathing Exercises

Say, "Breathe with Mommy." Start by leading him through a couple of fast breaths (2 counts in, 2 counts out), using your whooshy sound and hand motion to guide him. Don't get frustrated if he can't do it right away. It may take a dozen tries for him to get the hang of it.

Reward any breathing with encouragement: "Good breathing!" "Good following my hand." Give a hand check and immediately follow it up with a little play. (Later in the day, gossip about his good breathing to your spouse, his teddy bear or a birdie outside.)

Gradually, lead your child through more and slower breaths (aim for at least 5 breaths at a sitting). Once he gets good at magic breathing, practice it in different places and at different times of the day.

For help teaching Magic Breathing, check out SNOObie! Our all-in-one white noise machine + nightlight features two Magic Breathing tracks that use synchronized light and sound to show families how to use this calm-down technique.

Deep Breathing Exercise Tips

Be a role model. Your child will learn magic breathing faster when he sees you doing it every day.

Time it right. Do it before a nap or after eating, when your tot's already a bit relaxed.

Pick a "magic" place. Kids love the word "magic"! Pick a "magic" spot to sit and "magic" pillow to sit on. (It will be even more special if you tape pictures of "magic" trees or butterflies on the wall of your "magic" spot.) He'll instantly relax as soon as he sits and starts to breathe.

Don't be pushy. If he resists, offer to do something fun after his magic breathing. If he still refuses, say, "No problem." Then get busy with something and ignore him for a few minutes. Try offering the breathing again later that day and the next. If your child refuses every time, wait a month or two and try again.

Practice often. Kids who practice magic breathing every day quickly become little experts at self-calming.

Combine breathing with play. Even wild kids will take a few breaths when they know they'll be rewarded for it. So, do a couple of slow breaths, followed by something fun, followed by a final breath or two after the play stops. This is a great way for your uncivilized little friend to learn how to self-soothe even after hectic play.

About Dr. Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America's most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp's landmark methods, including the 5 S's for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

View more posts tagged, behavior & development

Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Submit your questions here.

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Magic Breathing' Helps Even the Wildest Kids Calm Down

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Help calm fussy kids with Dr. Harvey Karp's "Magic Breathing" technique - helps even the wildest toddlers calm down.

# data[].attributes.body
Initial blocking. Key every 8 frames as recommended to me by an animator I spoke with at Framestore. Who also recommended to work in Spline also.

# data[].attributes.body
Monday 1st- Sunday 7th July

# data[].attributes.body
Using this to colour initial blocking in green

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tips for Animators: Changing Key Color in Timeline

# data[].attributes.body
(the average child in the U.S. is exposed to nearly four hours per day of background television!).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Key points

Research finds that what your child watches does seem to matter.

Shows with a prosocial message may be associated with better outcomes.

Children learn more when shows seem to be more interactive.

In an ideal world, children would be doing educational, enriching activities every moment of the day and parents would have no need for iPads or Netflix subscriptions. However, in the real world, screens are inevitable for most parents. Yet, when we discuss screen time, most of the discussion seems to center around the quantity of screen time but markedly less so around the quality of screen time. So, is all screen time created equal? In other words, if you are going to allow your child to use screens, does what they are watching on the screen matter? How should you make these decisions as a parent?

Fortunately, research can help. Although the research isn't perfect (most of the research on screen time only looks at associations between types of shows and outcomes in children), it does help to give us some guidance given the many, many screen time choices we are presented with as parents.

Most of the research here applies to children who are preschool age and older.

Does What Your Child Watch Really Matter?

Research finds that what your child watches does seem to matter. The best evidence we have for this is a randomized controlled trial (translation: the gold standard research study design) that randomly assigned parents to change only the content of what their children were watching and not the amount of time. This study found that simply changing the content of what the children were watching (that is, asking parents to put on more prosocial and educational shows) resulted in improved social skills and better behavior for children.

Which TV Shows Should You Choose?

This research suggests that just changing what your child is watching on the screen will really make a difference and you can still get the same break in your day. So, what type of TV shows seem to be linked with the best outcomes (according to research)?

1. Shows with a prosocial message: Research finds that shows with a prosocial message (translation: shows that promote kind and helpful behavior) may be associated with better outcomes. In the randomized controlled trial described above, parents were instructed to focus on prosocial show, which resulted in improved social skills and better behavior. Examples of shows with prosocial content that were encouraged in this study included Dora the Explorer, Sesame Street, and Super Why. An experimental study also found that children were more likely to show kind behavior after watching a cartoon that depicts kind behavior, suggesting that children really do seem to mimic the type of behavior they see on TV. Finally, research finds that preschoolers who watched Daniel Tiger, a show known for its prosocial themes, were more likely to show improved emotion recognition and empathy. Other shows with prosocial themes include Arthur, Bluey, and Doc McStuffins.

2. Shows that seem to be interacting with your child: Some children's shows try to mimic real-life social interactions by looking at and talking to the viewer, asking questions, pausing for response, etc. Although this approach is not perfect since even very young children can detect a lack of well-timed contingency, shows that use this approach have been linked with better outcomes. Research finds that children learn more when shows seem to be more interactive. Another study found that watching shows like Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer, that seem to interact with viewers, are associated with increased language development. Other examples of interactive shows include Super Why and Ms. Rachel (although see here for a more extensive write-up on Ms Rachel and shows for infants and toddlers).

3. Realistic shows: Realistic shows refer to shows that have minimal physically impossible or fantasy elements, such as Mr. Rogers, Sesame Street, or Caillou. Research finds that children show impaired executive functioning (executive functioning refers to a set of skills that includes self-control, planning, attention, working memory, and controlling impulses) after watching a fantasy show when compared to a realistic show. We don't know yet whether this impact is temporary or long-term, but this research does suggest that you may want to avoid fantasy TV shows before school or other activities requiring executive functioning.

4. Shows designed for children rather than shows for adults: It can be tempting as a parent after watching the 100th episode of Paw Patrol to turn on a show you actually want to watch or just flip on the news in the background, but research finds that this practice might be associated with worse outcomes. Research finds children who watch shows designed for adults are more likely to show hyperactivity, behavioral problems, and impaired social skills. Another study found that watching adult-directed shows as a young child was related to poorer executive function and lower IQ, while watching child-directed shows was not related to any of these negative outcomes. Even having adult television shows on in the background (such as leaving the morning news on) has been found to hurt the quality of the parent-child interaction, so remember to turn off the television when no one is watching (the average child in the U.S. is exposed to nearly four hours per day of background television!).

5. Educational shows: This may seem somewhat obvious, but children preschool age and older can actually learn from screens so it doesn't hurt to expose them to shows with the goal of teaching children literacy, math, and other educational concepts. For example, research finds that children show more learning of literacy skills after watching versus a science program. Decades of research also finds that Sesame Street is linked to positive learning outcomes. Another study found that watching educational TV at age 2 is related to more advanced executive functioning, academic skills, and school readiness at age 3. In particular, educational shows on PBS have been linked to improved executive functioning, perhaps due to the higher quality of these shows or due to the lack of commercials during these shows.

6. Videos of adults reading books: There are many free videos online of books being read aloud that can be a great alternative to a typical TV show. Storyline Online is a great free resource for these types of videos that features actors from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation reading popular children's books. You can also search for these videos on YouTube. A recent study found that 4-year-olds learned just as much from a pre-recorded video of someone reading book as someone reading the book live or over video chat. However, the children in the study produced fewer words in the pre-recorded video condition, suggesting that reading to your children live or even over FaceTime may still be preferable in terms of encouraging language from children.

Overall Translation

As parents, it seems like we are always hearing about screen time limits and the importance of avoiding too much screen time. Although the overall quantity of screen time does seem to be important, the quality of the screen time your child is consuming really does seem to matter, too. Although this is by no means an exhaustive list, some shows that seem to be associated with more positive outcomes include Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger, Dora the Explorer, Super Why, and book read alouds (like Storyline Online). However, most of the research is correlational, and further research on particular TV shows are needed. It is also important to mention that most research has looked at features of shows (such as being prosocial, realistic, or interactive) and not a particular show itself. Overall, this research suggests that parents should continue to monitor their child's overall time on screens but also consider what they are watching-and enjoy the peace and quiet with less guilt.
Facebook image: Olesia Bilkei/Shutterstock

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Best TV Shows for Your Kids, According to Research

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Sesame Street," yes, but also some surprises.

# data[].attributes.headline
Charlie Says 1970 public information adverts

# data[].attributes.subject
Charlie Says 1970 public information adverts

# data[].attributes.body
Why pocoyo is good- not overstimulating, white background with simple colour palette

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Best TV Shows for Autistic Children Of All Time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. Children with autism often have difficulty understanding social ... 10 Best TV Shows for Autistic Children Of All Time Read More "

# data[].attributes.headline
Rise of mental health problems in children

# data[].attributes.subject
Rise of mental health problems in children

# data[].attributes.body
Among children of primary school age (5 to 10 year olds), 14.4% had a probable mental disorder in 2020, an increase from 9.4% in 2017.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A new report from NHS Digital looks at the mental health of children and young people in England in July 2020, and how this has changed since 2017.

The report, published today, reveals that the proportion of children who are experiencing mental health difficulties has increased over the past three years, from one in nine in 2017, to one in six as of July 2020. The increase was evident in both boys and girls.

The report draws on a sample of 3,570 children and young people aged between 5 to 22 years old. It additionally looks at experiences of family life, education and services, and worries and anxieties during the coronavirus pandemic.

Other key findings from the report include:

Among children of primary school age (5 to 10 year olds), 14.4% had a probable mental disorder in 2020, an increase from 9.4% in 2017.

Among secondary school aged children (11 to 16 year olds), 17.6% were identified with a probable mental disorder in 2020, an increase from 12.6% in 2017.

Around 62.6% of children aged 5 - 16 (about 6 in 10) with a probable mental health disorder had regular support from their school or college.

Among secondary school aged girls (11 to 16 year olds)- 63.8% identified with a probable mental health disorder had seen or heard an argument among adults in the household.

Children aged 5 - 16 years with a probable mental health disorder were more than twice as likely to live in a household that had fallen behind with payments (16.3%).

54.1% of secondary aged children (11 to 16 year olds) with an existing mental health disorder, were more likely to say that the coronavirus lockdown had made their life worse.

In response to the new data, Catherine Roche, Chief Executive of Place2Be said:

"There has been a significant and worrying deterioration of the mental health of our children in recent years. The impact of the pandemic has exacerbated an already desperate situation for many families across the UK. School leaders and teachers are doing their best to support children's wellbeing, but they cannot do it alone. Children's mental health is everyone's business, and we need a joined-up response to ensure that no child or young person has to face mental health problems alone."

Access the full report: Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2020: Wave 1 follow up to the 2017 survey

For more information on how Place2Be has adapted to the pandemic, and for advice and support, visit our Coronavirus page.

News & blogs

Place2Be bids farewell to Clinical Director, Dr Niki Cooper

Niki Cooper has been at Place2Be for over two decades. Here, she reflects on her 22 years with the charity.

Read more

A letter to anyone who feels different this Pride Month

Place2Be Ambassador Josh Smith shares his advice and encouragement for anyone who is struggling to express themselves.

Read more

Laura Wright becomes a Place2Be Champion

Place2Be's newest Champion Laura Wright reflects on the impact of music on mental health and wellbeing.

Read more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New report from NHS Digital shows sharp increase in children experiencing mental health difficulties

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The new report looks at how the mental health of children and young people in England has changed since 2017.

# data[].attributes.body
Monday 8th-Sunday 14th July

# data[].attributes.headline
Psychological Impact and Influence of Animation on Viewer’s Visual Attention and Cognition:

# data[].attributes.subject
Psychological Impact and Influence of Animation on Viewer’s Visual Attention and Cognition:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Psychological Impact and Influence of Animation on Viewer’s Visual Attention and Cognition: A Systematic Literature Review, Open Challenges, and Future Research Directions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Animation is an excellent method to associate with the audience in a fun and innovative manner. In recent span, animation has been employed in various fields to enhance knowledge, marketing, advertisement, and age groups from infants to adults. The present…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Oliver Misses The Bus (3D Animated Short)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Crying always felt good for my soul. It was a helpful form of release to experience when feeling pressure, tension, and conflict. As a child and younger adolescent, I cried a lot. I cried when things got tough, when I fought with people, and when I felt pained with the million things every other person needed to tackle. I felt safe and vulnerable enough with myself to allow myself to really feel what sadness and anger felt like.

Shouting and screaming also felt good for my soul. I was breaking from the shackles of fury and fire to just pounce on people whenever I felt wronged. It felt right most times, but in many cases it felt wrong after the feeling had passed and usually I would regret it. Sometimes when the unkind words left my mouth, it felt good to speak what I thought was my truth. Oftentimes it was wrong and hurtful, and I realized I should have never spoken a word of anything in the first place.

Growing up is a difficult thing, and as children, we act from what we are shown through examples. Now in my twenties, I'm trying to navigate how to control my emotions, how to healthily show my emotions, and how to analyze why I feel the way I feel towards something. I needed to understand my emotions in order to not be impulsive with both my reactions and my decision-making. Even as a twenty-something-year-old, I was struggling with impulsivity stemming from my emotions. I was tired of shouting and screaming just because I was angry, and crying uncontrollably just because I was offended. I was exhausted with making poor decisions like saying something hurtful or cursing when things were going wrong.

I ask myself, "Why wasn't I taught this as a child? Why didn't my parents teach me how to control my emotions instead of bottling them up? Why wasn't there a safe space there for me to learn how to communicate what I was feeling instead of crying and arguing?" I wish for a lot of things, but controlling the bubbling feelings of frustration, annoyance, and despise was something that would change how I felt about the world and life in general.

My parents told me stories of how unhappy I seemed as a child. I was always arguing with my family, raising my voice/tone, crying at the smallest things, and just felt spiteful about so much around me. "Sensitive" was almost an insult to me because it made me feel that I was "out of control" with the emotions I felt. When I look back on it now, I realize that I simply did not know how to communicate my feelings. My go-to's were throwing tantrums, getting into fights, having feelings of resentment, and holding a grudge. I didn't know how to control my reactions when mixed up with a multitude of emotions. If I was angry, I showed it. If I felt sad, I cried it out to the beat of my negative thoughts. If I was happy, it felt like I should keep it a secret. I felt guilt and shame the hardest, and felt regretful for the actions I did while in the midst of a rush of emotions. I never had a hard time showing how I felt, but rather I had trouble controlling how much of everything I felt. I felt too much of the difficult emotions and it made it hard to feel and appreciate the easier emotions when they came.

Fast forward to today. In therapy, I've learned to not label the "difficult emotions" as "negative or bad". Feeling angry, feeling sad, feeling annoyed: they're not bad emotions. They are emotions we all have to eventually feel to some intensity. How intense it is, is totally up to us. We can react and feel a way, but to control how much it consumes our energy is based on using healthier coping skills. These were skills I did not know growing up, and re-learning now. I think re-labeling emotions as being "difficult" and "easy" helped me gain a better perspective of these feelings that are a part of me. I've harbored a larger appreciation for my emotions because they communicate when my boundaries have been crossed, my values have been broken, or when something is simply not right by me. There's nothing wrong with being angry or sad or guilty. There's nothing wrong with feeling happy even if there seems to be no reason to. Understanding this has helped me come to peace with myself - that I can actually control myself if I really choose to. I can choose the reactions I want to have. I can embrace my emotions for how they are, but learn what they are trying to communicate to me.

Therapy has helped me slow down with racing thoughts when I feel strong emotions. When feeling intense emotions, it's important to take time to realize what exactly is the emotion you're facing: fear, guilt, joy, anger, anxiousness, jealousy, disgust, etc. Practicing a mindful headspace where I pause to ask myself "Why am I feeling this way? Have my boundaries been crossed? How should I approach this feeling so that I don't feel worse?" has greatly allowed me to take a moment in analyzing my feelings. Notice what you're feeling. Accept what you're feeling. Feel the body sensations of that feeling, like a tight chest, a dry throat, or tension in your face. This can help to recognize emotions in a tough situation, and to reduce triggers for future ones. Pause, face the emotion, and then decide how you will react.

Communication is the second half of emotion regulation, because how you react and you decide to approach the feeling is just as important as analyzing it. It's still a skill that is not my strongest, but I've grown to learn how to healthily communicate when I feel hurt or just feeling a certain way about something that was said/done. Sometimes you're not even ready to communicate yet because the emotional processing can take a while. For example. One time, not too long ago when I was still learning how to practice these skills, I had an argument with my mom. I felt the emotions strongly, like anger, annoyance, and eventually guilt. It took me a day to finally come back to her to speak about how I was feeling towards what she had said or done, and it was much better in comparison to just screaming or raising my voice on the spot the day before. I would've rather taken the time to process what had happened rather than to react impulsively, even if it took a day. I remember feeling proud of myself that I had taken the healthier road and not the more painful one, because I knew I would have felt regretful and worse if I had instantly said something back. I'm so proud of how far I've come with it. It takes time, it takes practice, and it takes more time.

+++

I struggled with how to handle and regulate my emotions, and I wonder now "Why wasn't I taught this as a child? Every child should know this". I don't blame my family for the way I've grown up, although admittedly, maybe at one point I did. And I've accepted that. That's what growth and development is for - to learn from the past and change things moving forward because you know it is better for you. My parents couldn't predict the future where emotions would turn out to be a problem for me, how could they have known? I've accepted that emotion of frustration, and I decided to move forward in re-learning the skills of emotion regulation.

However, I truly advocate for better mental health education for adolescents. Children are very impressionable, and I feel that learning these skills is just as important as academics. (Sure as hell more important than physical education in my opinion...) They're people-skills, soft skills, that need to be promoted more. If more people learned about emotion regulation skills, communication would be healthier and compassion might be more common. I look back now at my child-self and think about how beneficial it could've been to be able to process my emotions better, and to have been given a larger space to communicate what I felt. I don't feel bad about it anymore, but I feel much more grateful that I can understand myself better now.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Emotion Regulation: Why wasn’t I taught this as a child?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Crying always felt good for my soul. It was a helpful form of release to experience when feeling pressure, tension, and conflict. As a…

# data[].attributes.body
The Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development cohort study found a long-lasting connection between early screen media exposure and cognitive abilities, with each one-hour increase in TV exposure at two years of age corresponding to a 7% unit decrease in participation in class and a 6% unit decrease in math proficiency in the fourth grade

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cureus. 2023 Jun; 15(6): e40608.

Monitoring Editor: Alexander Muacevic and John R Adler

Abstract

Children's heavy reliance on screen media has raised serious public health issues since it might harm their cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth. This study examines the effects of screen time on many developmental domains and covers management and limitation techniques for kids' screen usage. Screen media has a wide range of cognitive consequences, with both beneficial and detrimental effects noted. Screens can improve education and learning; however, too much time spent in front of a screen and multitasking with other media has been related to worse executive functioning and academic performance. As screen time reduces the amount and quality of interactions between children and their caregivers, it can also have an impact on language development. Contextual elements like co-viewing and topic appropriateness are key in determining how language development is impacted. Additionally, excessive screen usage has detrimental effects on social and emotional growth, including a rise in the likelihood of obesity, sleep disorders, and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. It can obstruct the ability to interpret emotions, fuel aggressive conduct, and harm one's psychological health in general. Setting boundaries, utilizing parental controls, and demonstrating good screen behavior are all techniques that parents may use to manage children's screen usage. We can reduce the possible negative impacts of excessive screen time and promote children's healthy development and well-being by increasing knowledge and encouraging alternative activities that stimulate development.

Keywords: campaign, developmental and behavioral delay, digital learning, parenting style, screen exposure time, screen time, language development, cognitive development

Introduction and background

New technologies, such as mobile and interactive screen media, are now ingrained in a young child's daily life. Children today are "digital natives," having been born into an ever-changing digital ecosystem augmented by mobile media. The age at which kids engage with media on a regular basis has fallen from four years in 1970 to four months in the present day [ 1]. Electronic devices have revolutionized learning, communication, and information dissemination, but recent research indicates that screen media use may have serious adverse effects on children's health over the long term, making this a pressing public health concern [ 2]. It has raised the likelihood that children will become obese, experience behavioral problems, sleep irregularities, poor academic performance, etc. [ 1- 3].

This article delves into the profound effects of excessive screen time on children's cognitive, language, and social-emotional development, while also exploring the crucial strategies and responsibilities that parents and schools can undertake to effectively manage and diminish screen time in young individuals.

Review

Impact on development

Cognitive Development

Screen media use may have both beneficial and detrimental effects on a kid's cognitive results. Media devices with screens have the potential to improve education and learning [ 2]. For instance, research has suggested that electronic books and learning-to-read applications may improve young children's early reading skills and creative thinking capacities [ 2, 4, 5]. However, studies have also demonstrated the negative effects of screen media use on a number of cognitive areas such as executive functioning, sensorimotor development, and academic outcomes [ 2, 6]. Media multitasking was found to have a negative impact on executive functioning in teenagers, notably on working memory, inhibition, and the capacity to switch between tasks [ 2, 7].

The Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development cohort study found a long-lasting connection between early screen media exposure and cognitive abilities, with each one-hour increase in TV exposure at two years of age corresponding to a 7% unit decrease in participation in class and a 6% unit decrease in math proficiency in the fourth grade [ 8]. A Spanish research study discovered a negative correlation between the use of screen media and academic achievement, indicating that increased screen time was associated with lower academic performance. Similarly, a study conducted in the United States found a significant link between higher levels of media multitasking and lower scores on standardized tests measuring academic performance in mathematics and English [ 9].

However, adverse executive and academic outcomes may be confounded by the poorer attention and focus from multitasking behaviors rather than solely from screen media overuse, and more research is necessary to tease out this relationship. Language development has received the majority of emphasis in studies on screen usage and cognitive development in young children, whereas other cognitive development domains including executive skills have received less attention [ 10]. Thus, there are significant, albeit indirect, effects of screen media use on cognitive development in children [ 2].

Language Development​​

The early years of childhood are crucial for acquiring language skills and children develop various aspects of language, including vocabulary and phonology [ 11]. These skills are acquired through interactions with adults [ 11]. Numerous studies have highlighted the significance of human interaction, particularly the frequency and quality of exchanges between adults and children, in the development of language skills [ 12]. However, there is a growing concern that screen time diminishes the quantity and quality of interactions between children and their parents, resulting in fewer chances for the child to practice and develop their language abilities [ 11]. The relationship between screen time and speech and language development is complex, and there are multiple factors that should be taken into account [ 13]. The impact of screen viewing is predominantly influenced by contextual factors rather than the sheer amount of time spent watching [ 14]. The context encompasses several aspects, such as the behavior exhibited by adult caregivers during screen time, the appropriateness of the content for the child's age, and the level of interactivity provided by the screen [ 14]. Increasing the amount of screen time at an early age has negative effects on language development [ 13]. However, beginning screen time at a later age has some potential benefits [ 13]. The characteristics of videos, their content, and co-viewing also play a role in influencing language development [ 13]. However, other studies have reported negative effects on speech, language, motor skills, cognitive development, and social development [ 13].

Adults should be aware of the impact of background television when children are present [ 13]. Studies have shown that increased exposure to background television can have adverse effects on children's language usage, executive functioning, and cognition in children under the age of five [ 13]. Excessive television viewing can also potentially affect language development and reading abilities at a young age [ 13].

A few studies show a positive correlation between children's screen time when co-viewed with a parent and their expressive lexical, phonological, and overall language abilities [ 11]. Studies have indicated that compared to children who view screens for ≤1 hour per day, those who engage in two or more hours per day, or three or more hours per day, are more likely to experience behavioral problems and have poorer vocabulary acquisition [ 15]. These findings suggest the importance of monitoring and regulating screen time for young children to mitigate potential adverse effects on their development and behavior [ 15].

While it is true that screens have become ubiquitous in homes and are increasingly integrated into school systems, it is crucial to educate caregivers of children under the age of three years about the potential risks associated with prolonged screen exposure in inappropriate contexts [ 14]. The current findings suggest that future research should investigate the screen time patterns of the entire family and explore the cumulative impact of both children's and parents' total screen time on language skills, specifically focusing on lexical skills [ 11]. In addition to providing guidance, it is crucial to offer families alternative options to media use that promote positive development, such as parent-child play activities [ 16]. These alternatives should be made available in pediatric practices and early childhood centers to support families in creating enriching and interactive experiences with their children [ 16].

Social-Emotional Development

In recent years, the concept of screen time has become more complex, with a wide range of electronic devices available worldwide [ 17]. The advancement of technology in recent years has led to increased screen-based technology usage among young people, coinciding with a decrease in their engagement with nature and impacting their mental health and overall well-being [ 18]. Research has shown negative associations between screen time, particularly television viewing, and the development of physical and cognitive abilities. Additionally, screen time has been linked to obesity, sleep problems, depression, and anxiety [ 17]. The specific physiological mechanisms underlying the adverse health outcomes related to screen time, as well as the relative contributions of different types of screens and media content to these outcomes, are still not fully understood [ 17]. However, studies in very young children indicate that screen usage is an independent risk factor for reduced psychological well-being. One study shows that increased TV exposure between six and 18 months of age was associated with emotional reactivity, aggression, and externalizing behaviors [ 17]. Few studies indicate that higher screen time at the age of four years is associated with lower levels of emotional understanding at the age of six years. It also reveals that having a television in a child's bedroom at the age of six years predicts lower levels of emotional understanding at eight years [ 19]. Gaming was associated with lower levels of emotional understanding in boys but not in girls. This suggests that different types of screen activities may have distinct effects on the emotional development of children based on their gender [ 19].

Computer use and video gaming, but not television viewing, were shown to be connected with more severe depressive symptoms when looking at the effects of various types of screens. Video gaming, in particular, is correlated with the severity of anxiety [ 17]. These findings align with other studies showing a cumulative impact of high screen time on symptoms, with more pronounced effects emerging during early adolescence and beyond [ 17]. Screen time-induced poor sleep, nighttime use of digital devices, and dependency on mobile phones have been associated with depressive symptoms [ 20]. Sleep issues, excessive screen time, and exposure to content that is violent and fast-paced trigger dopamine and reward pathways in the brain, all of which have been associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related behavior [ 20]. Early and persistent exposure to violent content raises the chance of engaging in antisocial behavior [ 20]. Psychoneurological effects of addictive screen time use include a decrease in social coping skills and the development of craving behaviors resembling substance dependence [ 20]. Structural changes in the brain related to cognitive control and emotional regulation have been observed in individuals with addictive digital media behavior [ 20].

It is worth noting that screens can also have positive educational and informational benefits [ 17]. For example, many schools are effectively using blogs as educational tools to improve written English, and the Internet provides access to health resources, including information on sexually transmitted infections and mental health [ 17]. Starting around the age of two years, high-quality television programs that are designed for specific educational purposes can serve as an additional means for early language and literacy development in children [ 21]. Such programs can also support cognitive development, promote positive racial attitudes, and encourage imaginative play [ 21]. High-quality content can enhance social and language skills for all children aged two years and older, particularly for those who are living in poverty or facing other disadvantages [ 21]. The presence of smartphones blurs the boundaries between work and home life, making timing unpredictable, and frequently requiring emotional investment to respond to them [ 21]. These findings emphasize the potential negative consequences of excessive screen exposure during early childhood, particularly when screens are present in a child's personal space, such as their bedroom [ 19]. This study emphasizes the significance of face-to-face interaction, especially with primary caregivers, in promoting the development of social-emotional competence in young children [ 19]. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the connection between screen time and developmental vulnerabilities [ 22].

Strategies for managing and reducing screen time in children

Strong evidence shows that parents' awareness-raising and other straightforward actions may significantly lower children's screen time [ 23]. Early excessive screen-watching habits seem to follow throughout time and tend to cluster with other harmful lifestyle behaviors including a poor diet and lack of sleep [ 24]. The amount of time spent watching television and other forms of screen time among teens decreased only when the intervention included specific elements or activities aimed at reducing it [ 25]. Possible additions to interventions include the use of an electronic monitoring device to restrict screen time (which allows users to set time limits for TV, digital versatile disc (DVD), computer, or video game use), the TV Turn-off Challenge (a campaign to turn off the TV for a specified number of days), the conditional use of screens on physical activity, or education via mass or small media (such as newsletters, brochures, or billboards) [ 26]. Birth kits distributed to moms by maternity wards should contain information regarding newborns and toddlers seeing screens [ 23]. Health visitors should provide new parents with advice and be aware of medical evidence [ 23]. Schools should take a stand on how much time kids spend using screens both inside and outside of the classroom and let students and parents know about it [ 23].

Role of Parents in Managing Screen Time

Parents sometimes used screen time as a reward but also believed digital technology would have a negative impact on their child's behavior, social skills, sleep, and physical activity [ 27]. Parents have the chance to implement behavioral control in the home as the primary caretakers, frequently through observation and rule-setting [ 27]. In fact, treatments designed to enhance common parenting techniques at home have proved effective in raising a child's desirable behavior [ 27]. In line with this viewpoint, some research indicates that parents' usage of restrictions regarding the use of technology such as television, cellphones, tablets, and computers is linked to children spending less time on screens (such as television, video games, and computer/internet use) [ 28]. Parental controls, which are frequently present in the form of extra settings and password safeguards for different technical devices (such as televisions, laptops, cellphones, etc.), may offer a viable answer to parenting challenges around children's screen time [ 27].

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations/studies have indicated that parental restrictions on screen time and the absence of screens in bedrooms both significantly lower screen time [ 29, 30]. Ideal discretionary screen time limits are 0.5-1 hour/day for three to seven-year-olds, one hour for 7-12-year-olds, 1.5 hours for 12-15-year-olds, and two hours for 16+-year-olds. Role modeling is also another crucial element. The amount of screen time parents and kids watch is closely associated; kids who live in homes where watching TV is encouraged (e.g., meals eaten in front of the TV and the TV is on when the child gets home from school) are more likely to engage in binge-watching themselves. If parents watch television for more than four hours every day, their sons and daughters will, respectively, have a 10.5-fold and a three-fold increased likelihood of doing the same [ 31].

Conclusions

Excessive screen media usage in children can have both positive and negative impacts on their development. Regarding cognitive development, screens have the potential to enhance education and learning. However, studies have shown that excessive screen time and media multitasking can negatively affect executive functioning, sensorimotor development, and academic outcomes. Early screen exposure has been associated with lower cognitive abilities and academic performance in later years. Language development is also affected by screen time, as it diminishes the quantity and quality of interactions between children and caregivers. Contextual factors such as co-viewing and appropriateness of content play a role in determining the impact on language development. Excessive screen usage can also lead to problems in social-emotional development, including obesity, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety. It can impair emotional comprehension, promote aggressive behavior, and hinder social and emotional competence.

Parents play a crucial role in managing and reducing screen time by raising awareness, setting boundaries, and providing behavioral controls. Parental limitations and the absence of screens in bedrooms have been found to significantly reduce screen usage. Parents should also set an example by managing their own screen time. Overall, it is important for caregivers, educators, and healthcare professionals to understand the potential risks of excessive screen usage and implement strategies to promote healthy development in children, including alternative activities that foster cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional skills.

Notes

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Articles from Cureus are provided here courtesy of Cureus Inc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children's heavy reliance on screen media has raised serious public health issues since it might harm their cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth. This study examines the effects of screen time on many developmental domains and covers management ...

# data[].attributes.headline
How Do Your Emotions Affect Your Physical Health?

# data[].attributes.subject
How Do Your Emotions Affect Your Physical Health?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Do Your Emotions Affect Your Physical Health?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unhealthy emotions, or healthy emotions that are not allowed any expression, may leach away the energy of living and increase the propensity to unhealthy coping mechanisms, chronic disease, or autoimmune manifestations.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-2795740

# data[].attributes.headline
Six Seconds - The emotional intelligence network

# data[].attributes.subject
Six Seconds - The emotional intelligence network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Emotional Intelligence Network * Six Seconds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The international nonprofit organization supporting emotional intelligence, authority for emotional intelligence information and development globally

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Whether in the classroom, at home, or throughout daily life, we are constantly faced with difficult situations that trigger emotional responses. Not just children - grown ups too! The difference is, adults often have years of experience developing self-regulation tools, whereas the emotional regulation skills of children are still blossoming.

At Yo Re Mi, we believe yoga, music, and mindfulness help children better manage emotional experiences, and subsequent actions triggered by those emotions.

Emotional self-regulation is an important life skill that doesn't appear overnight; but with support, mindful practices and social-emotional learning activities (SEL), we can help children develop strong emotional regulation skills to carry with them in the long run.

Try these 8effective emotional regulation activities and self-regulation techniques with your child to help strengthen their self-regulation skills and learn to navigate their emotions:

1. Use Dragon Breaths to Release Tension

Help children reach calm with mindful breathing; a practice that can benefit us all in tough situations. Dragon breathing is one of our favorite ways to help children release anxiety and tension, and is a highly effective emotional regulation technique.

The long exhale from this yogic exercise teaches a crucial self-regulation skill: conscious breathing. The longer the exhale the more we are able to trigger a relaxation response (parasympathetic nervous system). Here's a video to practice it yourself, or play onscreen for kids:

2. Allow Children to Take the Lead

It's important to remember that while it may seem easier, our goal as parents, caregivers, and educators is not to help children suppress big feelings. Teaching emotional regulation skills requires social-emotional intelligence on our part, where we allow kids to take the lead and acknowledge feelings, recognize situations, and adapt accordingly.

When we encourage individuality in children, we help them realize that everyone is unique, as are our feelings, situations, and responses. We also help them build confidence and self-awareness, which are essential to social-emotional learning.

3. Take a Mindful Body Scan

We love to encourage mindful body scans to help children wind down, ground, and regroup. We use body scanning in Yo Re Mi's in-class enrichment program but it can also be used at home too - maybe even followed by a guided relaxation!

Tips for a self-regulating body scan:

Lay on your back to start your body scan (feet fall apart and arms by your side, palms face up)

Close your eyes and prepare to begin your scan at your toes

Inhale through your nose and squeeze your toes tightly... then exhale and release them.

Inhale and squeeze your feet tightly... then exhale and release them.

Continue up the body, piece by piece, tensing and releasing major muscle groups with each inhale.

4. Release Pent-up Emotion with Camel Pose

Living in a society where it is more common to hold grudges and repressed emotion than it is to release them, it is no surprise that grown ups struggle with stress, tension, and anxiety. In turn, the children we care for inherit that negative energy.

One emotional regulation technique we love is practicing heart-opening back bends, like Camel Pose. Not only does this yoga pose help boost the immune system by releasing pent-up emotion and reducing stress, it also helps us embrace loving kindness, understanding, and self-love.

5. Employ Mutual Regulation with Mindful Language

Sometimes children aren't able to access self-regulation tools - after all, isn't it even difficult for us adults to consistently self-regulate?

Their social-emotional learning is still developing, so they made need help identifying coping strategies along the way. Co-regulation requires us to maintain a mindfulness practice of our own so we can be proactive in supporting them.

When we maintain our own mindfulness practice, we can better replace disciplinary action with logical consequences and help kids manage their feelings and actions in a safe environment. Try some of these strategies to foster emotional regulation skills:

Practice non-judgement using mindful language to help them feel listened to and respected

Use fact-based observations when motivating behavior

Create safe spaces for self-regulation activities (ie. a corner where children can spend time to release tension)

6. Use Guided Breathing

Breath work and a guided breathing practice are foundational self-regulation strategies. An especially great tool for SEL development and emotional self-regulation, the breathing ball helps us focus on our breath by visualizing each inhale and exhale.

Another great practice is deep breathing. While we may often use this emotional regulation technique for warming up before one of our musical yoga adventures, it is also a useful practice for helping children with autism work through big feelings.

7. Encourage Partner Yoga Poses

Partnered activities encourage social-emotional learning by building teamwork and communication skills. Social-emotional learning activities like partner yoga poses encourage mindful listening and expression, self-awareness, and connection - which all strengthen emotional regulation.

Leave space for imagination while guiding children to safe partner poses. Maybe your kids might want to start off with energetic transportation yoga poses (like a Pirate Ship!)

8. Use Confidence Boosting Postures

We are a big fan of mindful affirmations, affirmation yoga, and confidence-boosting yoga poses. Some of our favorite yoga postures to encourage children to try are Warrior Pose variations.

Warrior 1 and 2 are energizing, strengthening, and confidence-boosting. Equally strengthening, balancing and invigorating, Warrior 3 then helps us become superheroes!

Recite this confidence affirmation at home and the classroom (or anywhere!) to promote self-awareness and emotional self-regulation for kids.

Mindfulness is an emotional regulation strategy we can all benefit from. Pairing it with fact-based observations, mindful language, confidence-boosting movement, and social-emotional learning activities helps children better identify self-regulatory tools.

For more resources on emotional regulation activities for kids, review this list of calming techniques to help children reduce tension and anxiety through self-regulation. Research surveys show this improves behavior, fosters empathy, communication and social skills, and aids in relationship building.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Effective Emotional Regulation Techniques for Kids - Yo Re Mi

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether in the classroom, at home, or throughout daily life, we are constantly faced with difficult situations that trigger emotional responses. Not just children - grown ups too! The difference is, adults often have years of experience developing self-regulation tools, whereas the emotional regulation skills of children are still blossoming.

# data[].attributes.body
Blocking and acting looks really good. Start to work the stylised work in. Focus on key poses, secondary action and holds. Pocoyo is a good reference for this.

As mine is a more research based project, literature review can be longer and development work can e shorter than examples on blackboard.

Can have an appendix after literature review, analysing my findings and analysing my survey.

Findings from these informing my animation and how i develop this.

Bluey- lots of eye acting

work on draft and send to ellie - report

# data[].attributes.body
Think of the question/questions you want to answer so these are definitely done and can be spoken about/concluded in the conclusion.

Age appropriate - can look at how Mortal Combat/video games were intense and lead to age restrictions being introduced.

How the indirect teaching in kids tv can effect children different as children having different home lives/different nurturing/teaching from parents on topics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Do Animations Impair Executive Function in Young Children? Effects of Animation Types on the Executive Function of Children Aged Four to Seven Years

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This study used a three (animation types: educational, entertainment, and control groups) × four (age group: four-, five-, six-, and seven-year-olds) between-group experimental design to investigate the short-term effects of animation type and…

# data[].attributes.body
Monday 15th-Sunday 21st July

# data[].attributes.body
Skin texture not appearing in Arnold render view?

Solution- Need to select skin GEO and turn on Primary Visibility in Attribute editor.

# data[].attributes.body
Monday 22nd-Sunday 28th July

-No taught lessons 22/29/05 Aug- Begins 12th Aug