Promoting Self-Regulation in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Practice Brief. OPRE Report 2015-82

This brief reviews the importance of self-regulation for adolescents and young adults and provides guidelines for supporting self-regulation development for 14 to 25-year-olds. The following questions are answered: (1) Self-Regulation: What is it and why is it important?; (2) Why focus on self-regulation in older adolescents and young adults?; (3) How does self-regulation develop?; (4) Do older adolescents and young adults really need caregivers to help them develop self-regulation?; (5) Why do some youth need more support with self-regulation than others?; (6) What's the big deal about stress? Isn't it good for us?; (7) What is the impact of self-regulation interventions during adolescence?; (8) How can programs support self-regulation development in older adolescents and young adults?; and (9) What's the bottom line about older adolescents, young adults, and self-regulation?