Interviewing children about abuse, neglect, grief and other difficult issues can trigger big, complex emotional responses. Children may become angry, sad, defensive or numb. They may yell, cry, act out physically or shut down.

As a professional and a trusted adult, you must maintain composure regardless of these reactions. Showing empathy, engaging in active listening and practicing mindfulness techniques can help you keep calm. Likewise, demonstrating and discussing these strategies with children can help them identify and deal with their feelings.

Children differ in their ability to manage emotions depending on their age, developmental stage and other factors. As an example, tantrums are expected from toddlers, partly because they lack the language skills to convey their needs and wants. School-aged children may be better able to identify and express emotions, especially if they have supportive caregivers who’ve taught them these skills. Children who have experienced trauma may have emotions and behaviors that don’t match their physical age and may have more difficulty regulating their emotions. We will explore the effects of trauma in more detail later in this training.

What We'll Cover

At the end of this lesson on Emotional Regulation and Resilience, you will be able to:

Understand your role in helping children manage emotions and behavior.
Identify strategies to support children in managing their emotions, including preventive and calming techniques.
Summarize the potential effects of grief and loss for a child.
Explain motivational interviewing and its application in interviewing children.