Promoting Self-Regulation in the First Five Years: A Practice Brief

Early childhood is a period of rapid brain development that paves the way for growth of self-regulation skills. This brief builds on reviews of the theoretical and intervention literature to provide early childhood leaders such as program administrators with guidelines for promoting self-regulation development in children aged birth through 5 years, both programmatically and through supportive environmental contexts. The brief is based on work conducted by the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), described in a series of four reports referenced throughout the brief, which can be accessed online at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/toxic-stress-and-self-regulation-reports.