Low Frustration Tolerance In Children - 9 Proven Ways To ...

Having a low frustration tolerance (LFT) is an inability to regulate one's emotions when confronted with adversity, loss of control, ... SkiptoContent Causes|Signs&Effects|9Provenwaystohelpchildrenimprovefrustrationtolerance Whatislowfrustrationtolerance Havingalowfrustrationtolerance(LFT)isaninabilitytoregulateone’semotionswhenconfrontedwithadversity,lossofcontrol,orblockedgoals.Childrenwithlowfrustrationtoleranceusuallydisplayirritability,emotionaloutbursts,ortempertantrumswhenthingsgowrong.  Thesechildrenoftenlackemotionalregulation.Duetotheiremotionaldysregulation,theyareusuallymisunderstoodasstrong-willed,spoiled,orentitled.Theresultisthatmanyofthemarenotgiventhehelptheyneedtodeveloppropercopingandregulatingskills​1​. Causes Somebabiesarefrustratedmoreeasilythanothersduetotheirinnatetemperament.Easilyfrustratedinfantstendtobelessattentiveandmoreactive.Theyuselesseffectiveself-regulationstrategiestoregulatetheiremotionalreactivity​2​. Frustrationisacomplexemotionalreaction.Itiscausedbytheinteractionofmultiplebraincircuitsinvolvedinemotionalregulation.ScientistsfindthatsomechildrenwithLFThavedeficitswithintheseneuralcircuits​3​. Childrenlearnhowtoself-regulatethroughco-regulatingwiththeirparentsduringtheirearlychildhood.Warm,sensitiveparentingisstronglyassociatedwithtoddleremotionregulation. Anurturingparentcanprovidecomfortandsupporttochildrenwhoareexperiencingfrustratingorfrighteningevents.Punitiveandharshparenting,however,canworsenachild’saggressionandemotionaldysregulation​4​. Althoughthepresenceoflowfrustrationtolerancedoesnotnecessarilyresultfrompoorparenting,itcancontributetoitsworsening. Signs&Effects Infantswhoareeasilyfrustratedshowapatternofnegativeemotionsanddistresstonovelty. Theydisplaymorephysicalsignsoffrustration,suchasbangingorkicking,andmorefrustration-focusedbehaviors.Thesechildrenhavealowerthresholdfordistress.Theymaybeseenasbeingfussy,poorself-soothers,andintoleranttochange.Ittakesfewernegativetriggersforthesebabiestocrymore​5​. OlderchildrenwithLFThavechronic,extremedifficultydealingwithfrustration.Theymayhavechildtantrumsthatarenotdevelopmentallyappropriate.Suchchildrentendtobeinflexible.Criticism,failure,andpressureareharderforthemtohandle.  LFTchildrenareusuallyviewedasdefiantchildrenorexplosivechildrenbecausetheyhavemoretendencytobeaggressive,antisocial,anddelinquent. Theyarealsomorelikelytodopoorlyinschoolduetomorebehavioralproblemsandlesssocialskills​6​. Parentalreactionstothesechildrenaretypicallylesssupportiveandresponsive.Instressfulsituations,harshdisciplineoralackofresponsivenesscanexacerbateangerandfrustration​7​. Howtohelpchildrenimprovefrustrationtolerance Tolerateyourchild’slowfrustrationtolerance Whenachildhasafull-fledgedmeltdownbecauseoflittlethings,itishardforgrownupstohaveempathy.Wemayevenbelievethattheirdefiantbehaviorisintentional. However,itisimportantthatwestaycalmandshowthemhowweworkthroughourownfrustration. Emotionregulationisnotsomethingwearebornwith.Childrenlearntobuildtoleranceforfrustrationthroughobservingadultsregulatetheirs​8​. Wemustshowthemhowtodoitinreallife,notjusttalkaboutit. Usewarmandresponsiveparenting Awarmandresponsiveparentingstyleenableschildrentodevelopsecureattachmentstotheirparents.Ithelpskidslearnhowtoregulatetheiremotions. Warmthinparentingisalsoassociatedwithhealthybraindevelopmentinchildrenandadolescents​9​. Attunetotheirfrustration Inorderforchildrentolearnemotionalregulation,theymustexperienceitforthemselves.Theproblemischildrenarenotbornwithself-regulation,sowemusthelpthemgetthisexperiencefirst​10​. Emotionalattunementisoneofthefastestandmosteffectivewaystohelpfrustratedchildrenregulatetheirnervoussystems​11,12​. Attunementmeansexpressingthesameemotionsasthechildthroughwords,facialexpressions,andbodylanguage,butinacontrolledwaysothatthechildcanseeyouunderstandthem​13​. Forexample,youcanfrownandsayinaslightlystressedtone,“You’resofrustratedbecauseyoucan’topenthebox.” Thisempatheticgestureisaco-regulationprocessthatisessentialinbuildingfrustrationtoleranceinchildren​14​. Prepare&practiceforpotentialfrustration Beingdisappointedcanbeaveryfrustratingexperience.It’sevenmorefrustratingwhenyoudon’texpectit. Somechildrenwithverylowfrustrationtolerancemayhaveadifficulttimeevendealingwiththethoughtofbeingdisappointed.It’smuchbettertoaddressitaheadoftimethaniftherealthinghitsthemunexpectedly. Achildwhoisunabletocontrolortoleratetheirrapidlyescalatingfrustrationisunabletothinkrationallyabouttheiractions.Theymayhavenoideahowtocopeatthemoment. Ifyouwarnyourchildaboutsomethingthatmayfrustratethemandpracticedealingwithit,theymaybebetterabletocontrolthemselvesintheheatofthemoment. Thiswon’tworkovernight,however.Buildingthoseregulatingneuralcircuitsinyourchild’sbraintakesalotofpractice.Keeppracticingwiththemandsupportingtheirlearning. Teachproblem-solvingskills Beingunabletoachieveyourgoals,coupledwithafeelingofhelplessness,leadstofrustration.Aproactiveapproachtosolvingproblemsmayreducefrustrationforchildren​15​. Helpthemfinddifferentwaystocreateadifferentoutcomedespitethefrustratingsituation.Givethemexamplesoftimeswhenyouorothershavesimilarstrugglesandovercomethem. Lookoutforsignsofhungerortiredness Somechildrenmaybemorepronetogetfrustratedarounddinnertimeduetohunger.  Accordingtoastudy,childrenwhoaregivensugarwhengivenchallengingtasksarelesslikelytobecomefrustrated​16​. Emotionalcoaching Topreventfuturemeltdownsinolderchildren,coachyourchildinfrustrationmanagement.Talktothemabouttheiremotionswhentheyarecalm.Letthemtalkabouttheirfeelingsandlistencarefully.Discussingemotionswithchildrenratherthandismissingthemcanhelpthemdevelopself-regulation​17​. Emotioncoachingfromparentsteacheschildrentorecognizetheiremotionsandprovidesthemwithcopingstrategiesforstressfulsituations. Parentingtraining Researchshowsthatcombiningproblem-solvingskillstrainingforchildrenwithparentmanagementtrainingyieldssignificantlybetterresultsinhelpingchildrenmanagetheirfrustration​18​. Parentmanagementtrainingfocusesonchild-rearingpractices,parent-childinteractions,andcontingenciesthatcansupportbehavioralchangeineasilyfrustratedchildren. Psychotherapy&medicalhelp PoorfrustrationtoleranceisacommonsymptomforchildrenwithADHD(AttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder)​1​orAutismSpectrumDisorder​19​. Someofthemmayexperienceextremeemotionsindifficultsituations.Toimprovetheiremotionalregulationskills,suchchildrenmayrequiremedicalintervention. Iftheimpairmentinchildrenissignificantlyaffectingtheirqualityoflifeorthatoftheirfamilies,parentsmayseekthehelpofmedicalandmentalhealthprofessionals. References 1.SeymourKE,MacateeR,Chronis-TuscanoA.FrustrationToleranceinYouthWithADHD.JAttenDisord.PublishedonlineJune8,2016:1229-1239.doi:10.1177/1087054716653216 2.CalkinsSD,DedmonSE,GillKL,LomaxLE,JohnsonLM.FrustrationinInfancy:ImplicationsforEmotionRegulation,PhysiologicalProcesses,andTemperament.Infancy.PublishedonlineApril1,2002:175-197.doi:10.1207/s15327078in0302_4 3.ShawP,StringarisA,NiggJ,LeibenluftE.EmotionDysregulationinAttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder.AJP.PublishedonlineMarch2014:276-293.doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13070966 4.DennisT.Emotionalself-regulationinpreschoolers:Theinterplayofchildapproachreactivity,parenting,andcontrolcapacities.DevelopmentalPsychology.Publishedonline2006:84-97.doi:10.1037/0012-1649.42.1.84 5.Braungart-RiekerJ,StifterC.Infants’responsestofrustratingsituations:continuityandchangeinreactivityandregulation.ChildDev.1996;67(4):1767-1779.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8890506 6.ZhouQ,MainA,WangY.Therelationsoftemperamentaleffortfulcontrolandanger/frustrationtoChinesechildren’sacademicachievementandsocialadjustment:Alongitudinalstudy.JournalofEducationalPsychology.Publishedonline2010:180-196.doi:10.1037/a0015908 7.RubinKH.Parentsofaggressiveandwithdrawnchildren.In:HandbookofParenting.Vol1.LawrenceErlbaumAssociates,Inc;1995:255-284. 8.MorrisAS,SilkJS,SteinbergL,MyersSS,RobinsonLR.TheRoleoftheFamilyContextintheDevelopmentofEmotionRegulation.SocialDevelopment.PublishedonlineMay2007:361-388.doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00389.x 9.MorrisAS,CrissMM,SilkJS,HoultbergBJ.TheImpactofParentingonEmotionRegulationDuringChildhoodandAdolescence.ChildDevPerspect.PublishedonlineJune9,2017:233-238.doi:10.1111/cdep.12238 10.FeldmanR.TheDevelopmentofRegulatoryFunctionsFromBirthto5 Years:InsightsFromPrematureInfants.ChildDevelopment.PublishedonlineMarch2009:544-561.doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01278.x 11.CamposJJ,CamposRG,BarrettKC.Emergentthemesinthestudyofemotionaldevelopmentandemotionregulation.DevelopmentalPsychology.Publishedonline1989:394-402.doi:10.1037/0012-1649.25.3.394 12.EvansCA,PorterCL.Theemergenceofmother–infantco-regulationduringthefirstyear:Linkstoinfants’developmentalstatusandattachment.InfantBehaviorandDevelopment.PublishedonlineApril2009:147-158.doi:10.1016/j.infbeh.2008.12.005 13.MurrayDW,RosanbalmKD,ChristopoulosC,HamoudiA.Self-RegulationandToxicStress:FoundationsforUnderstandingSelf-RegulationfromanAppliedDevelopmentalPerspective..;2015. 14.HaftWL,SladeA.AffectAttunementandMaternalAttachment:APilotStudy.InfantMentalHealthJournal.1989;10(3):157-172. 15.KnausWJ.FrustrationToleranceTrainingforChildren.RationalEmotiveBehavioralApproachestoChildhoodDisorders.:133-155.doi:10.1007/0-387-26375-6_4 16.BentonD,BrettV,BrainPF.Glucoseimprovesattentionandreactiontofrustrationinchildren.BiologicalPsychology.PublishedonlineApril1987:95-100.doi:10.1016/0301-0511(87)90016-0 17.DunsmoreJC,BookerJA,OllendickTH.ParentalEmotionCoachingandChildEmotionRegulationasProtectiveFactorsforChildrenwithOppositionalDefiantDisorder.SocialDevelopment.PublishedonlineFebruary15,2012:444-466.doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2011.00652.x 18.KazdinAE,SiegelTC,BassD.Cognitiveproblem-solvingskillstrainingandparentmanagementtraininginthetreatmentofantisocialbehaviorinchildren.JournalofConsultingandClinicalPsychology.Publishedonline1992:733-747.doi:10.1037/0022-006x.60.5.733 19.EkU,FernellE,JacobsonL.Cognitiveandbehaviouralcharacteristicsinblindchildrenwithbilateralopticnervehypoplasia.ActaPaediatrica.PublishedonlineOctober1,2005:1421-1426.doi:10.1080/08035250510037290 Wasthisarticlehelpful? 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