Preventing violent behavior: understanding self-regulation.

EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY, DOZENS OF SYSTEMS IN OUR BRAIN AND BODY MONITOR OUR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT. When they sense something is wrong--if the body needs to produce more glucose, or blood sugar, for energy, for example--they activate other physiological systems to correct the problem. Most of this regulation takes place automatically--beyond our awareness.

BUT AS YOU MATURE, YOUR BRAIN REQUIRES THAT YOU ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN YOUR OWN REGULATION: If you're thirsty, you seek fluids; if you're hungry, you find food. The dehydrated infant can't use words to ask for water, nor can he get it himself. The thirsty infant feels distress and then cries, dependent on a caregiver to meet her needs. The transition from external regulation to self-regulation is one of the most important tasks of growing up.

WHEN SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG, THE BRAIN'S ALARM SYSTEMS ARE ACTIVATED. First you may feel discomfort (e.g., thirst, hunger). If a threatening condition persists, you may feel irritable and anxious, then finally fearful or panicky. Under threat, our capacity to think and act in mature ways disappears. We become more impulsive and immature. Think about how you feel when you're hungry, tired, have tons of homework, and your mother asks you to wash the car.

AS GROWING YOUTH LEARN TO READ AND RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO THEIR INNER CUES, THEY BECOME MUCH MORE CAPABLE OF TOLERATING EARLY SIGNS OF DISCOMFORT AND DISTRESS related to stress, hunger, fatigue, and frustration. This means they have the capacity to wait a moment between a feeling and an action. They can take time to think, plan, and usually come up with an appropriate response to the current challenge--so instead of throwing books or screaming at your mom, you can negotiate a better time to wash the car.

FACTOID:

Impulsivity due to poor self-regulation appears to be a major factor in many violent acts. Alcohol increases impulsivity by inhibiting the brain's capacity for self-regulation. The combination of impulsivity and alcohol can lead to trouble.

THIS IS THE SECOND OF SIX ARTICLES BY DR. BRUCE PERRY ON "CORE STRENGTHS" THAT CAN HELP PREVENT TEEN VIOLENCE. DR. PERRY IS THE PROVINCIAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH IN ALBERTA, CANADA. WATCH FOR HIS ARTICLES IN THE NEXT FOUR ISSUES OF SCIENCE WORLD.