Psychology Today identifies impulse control as “the ability to experience an impulse without acting on it.” Often we experience feelings or a desire to act that may be disruptive or counterproductive to the task at hand. In children, impulse control is something that can be taught and learned.
Elizabeth Janca, an experienced school administrator, licensed professional counselor, and Possip Reporter discusses techniques to increase impulse control.
What is an impulse and what does it look like?
An impulse is an emotion bursting into action. Impulsivity can look, feel, and sound different for each person. Are you or your student someone who jumps from task to task when you think about it because you struggle to prioritize? Or maybe impulsivity sounds like blurting out an answer in class when you’re excited. Perhaps it feels like your body needs to be moving. Being able to identify how impulsivity presents itself can help address it.
We also know there are times when it’s ok to act impulsively and times when it’s not. Having conversations as a family to identify these situations can be impactful. For example, it’s not ok to act impulsively and blurt out an answer in class, but it is ok at recess to feel a desire to run around and do so. Additionally, having discussions about why someone may struggle with control can help build empathy.
What is impulse control and how do I do it?
Impulse control is the ability to control impulses or drives, not to allow an emotion to burst into action. There are many ways people can control impulses, but some popular ones are freeze vs melt, breathing, visualization, counting, self-talk, reducing distractions, breaking tasks into pieces, and role play.
