Written by the CultivaTeen Roots Team

7-minute read

Teenagers experience a wide range of emotions, often navigating stress, anxiety, anger, and excitement in rapid succession. Helping teens develop emotional and behavioral regulation skills is essential to their well-being and development, both academically and socially. At CultivaTeen Roots, we believe in equipping parents of adolescents with the tools they need to support their teens in handling these challenges. In our Making AdoleSense course, Module 5 focuses on the escalation curve and provides effective regulation strategies for parents and teens alike. This blog post briefly overviews some practical tools and strategies that can be implemented at school and at home to promote emotional balance and behavioral control.

Let’s explore some proven emotional and behavioral regulation strategies and review how they can help your teenager.

Why is Emotional Regulation Important for Teens?

Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences in a way that is socially appropriate and maintains a general sense of well-being. For teens, the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and self-control—is still developing, making regulation much more difficult. Additionally, hormonal changes and external pressures can amplify emotions- little stressors that seem minor can feel much more overwhelming to the teen brain. 

Research shows that teens who struggle with emotional regulation may experience more behavioral issues, lower academic achievement, and increased mental health challenges (Gross, 2014). Conversely, developing self-regulation skills can improve their resilience, interpersonal relationships, and overall mental health.

Tools and Strategies for Emotional Regulation

1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

What is it? PMR is a stress management technique that involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups to reduce physical tension and promote relaxation.

How to do it:

1. Sit or lie down comfortably.
2. Squeeze your fists and arms as tightly as you can.
3. Take three slow breaths in and out while maintaining the squeeze.
4. On the final exhale, release your hands and feel the tension melt away.

When to use it: When your teen feels overwhelmed, anxious, or angry, PMR can help reduce stress. Studies have shown that PMR effectively reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality (Vancampfort et al., 2018). Teens can also use guided PMR videos available on platforms like YouTube to do a full body scan with PMR when they are at home or use the above steps for a quick release when feeling stressed at school. 

Tip for Parents: Practice PMR together with your teen to model the importance of relaxation and show solidarity in managing stress. We teach teens this strategy all the time and get positive reports from them about how helpful it is. 

2. The 5 Senses Activity

What is it? This mindfulness exercise helps teens stay grounded by engaging all five senses to focus on the present moment.

How to do it:

1. Notice 5 things you can see around you.
2. Notice 4 things you can feel (e.g., the texture of your clothing or the chair beneath you).
3. Notice 3 things you can hear.
4. Notice 2 things you can smell.
5. Notice 1 thing you can taste (sip water or chew gum if necessary).

When to use it: The 5 Senses Activity is particularly helpful when your teen feels distracted, anxious, or disconnected from reality. It helps reorient their attention and provides immediate relief from overwhelming emotions. Additionally, it is a tool that can be utilized at home or when your teen is at school.

Research supports the use of mindfulness exercises like this one to enhance emotional regulation and reduce anxiety in teens (Zoogman et al., 2015).

Tip for Parents: Encourage your teen to carry a small "mindfulness card" in their backpack with instructions for the 5 Senses Activity. Other mindfulness activities that a teen can do at school or at home are to notice all the things in the room that are the different colors of the rainbow or read all the words that they can see around them. All of these strategies support a teen in getting out of a negative thought spiral and back into the present moment. 

3. 4-7-8 Breathing

What is it? A deep-breathing exercise designed to reduce stress and bring immediate calm.

How to do it:

1. Inhale deeply through the nose for 4 seconds.
2. Hold the breath for 7 seconds.
3. Exhale slowly through the mouth for 8 seconds.
4. Repeat this cycle as needed.

When to use it: When your teen feels anxious, or angry, or their heart is racing, this technique helps slow down their breathing and heart rate. Deep breathing can lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and provide a quick, calming effect (Khng, 2017).

Tip for Parents: Use this exercise together during stressful moments, such as before an important exam, a performance, or after an argument.

How to Apply These Tools in Daily Life

At School

1. Self-Check-In Moments: Encourage your teen to take brief self-regulation breaks between classes. For example, they can use PMR or the 5 Senses Activity to reset between stressful subjects.
2. School Collaboration: Know the resources that your teen’s school has- many schools have on-campus therapists/counselors, Wellness Centers, or calm-down spaces. Support your teen in knowing who their safe people and resources are at school. 
3. Before Tests: Deep breathing exercises like 4-7-8 breathing can help manage test anxiety and improve focus.

At Home

1. Routine Practice: Integrate regulation tools into your teen’s evening routine. For example, a quick PMR session before bedtime can improve sleep quality.
2. Family Regulation Time: Dedicate 10 minutes each evening for the whole family to practice a mindfulness exercise or deep breathing together.
3. Modeling Healthy Responses: When you experience stress, vocalize how you’re applying these techniques to model self-regulation for your teen.

CultivaTeen Roots: Tools for Long-Term Success

At CultivaTeen Roots, our Making AdoleSense course focuses on equipping parents and teens with practical tools to navigate the ups and downs of adolescence. In Module 5, we discuss the escalation curve—how emotions can escalate from mild to severe—and provide targeted regulation strategies to de-escalate challenging situations before they spiral out of control. By combining strategies like PMR, the 5 Senses Activity, and 4-7-8 Breathing, parents and teens can create a toolkit for emotional well-being.

When you and your teen practice these regulation techniques consistently, you empower your teen to face challenges with resilience, self-control, and confidence. Implementing these tools can support your teen’s emotional growth and ensure they are well-prepared for the challenges of both school and life. Together, let’s help them cultivate strong roots for a resilient future.

References

• Gross, J. J. (2014). Handbook of Emotion Regulation. Guilford Press.
• Khng, K. H. (2017). Mindfulness-based stress reduction improves attention and socioemotional outcomes in children. Developmental Psychology, 53(4), 601-617.
• Vancampfort, D., Firth, J., Schuch, F. B., Rosenbaum, S., Mugisha, J., Hallgren, M., & Stubbs, B. (2018). Physical activity and relaxation techniques for anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA Psychiatry, 75(7), 702-708.
• Zoogman, S., Goldberg, S. B., Hoyt, W. T., & Miller, L. (2015). Mindfulness interventions with youth: A meta-analysis. Mindfulness, 6(2), 290-302.