Interoception: Building Accuracy Through Awareness
Distress and dysregulation in the classroom are common in children with mental health and disability diagnoses. Reading our bodies and what it tells us is crucial in regulating ourselves. Self-regulatory skills have been identified as a critical goal in early education. Knowing what the signals are saying tells our bodies an appropriate emotional and behavioral response to the situation. Teaching children at home how to read their bodies will support them as they enter school to use self-regulation strategies in the classroom and throughout the day.
Improving self-awareness is a common first step to address intense behaviors such as throwing, hitting, or yelling. Children must be aware of changes in their emotions and body to pick the correct self-regulating strategy accurately. Mindfulness and meditation are two strategies found in research to encourage awareness.
Zones of Regulation
Zones of Regulation is a commonly utilized program in the academic setting to educate children on what their bodies are feeling. The Blue Zone is when our energy is low, and we feel less alert and attentive. In the Green Zone we feel neutral and more at a level state with our feelings. The Yellow Zone is higher levels of energy and stronger emotions like fidgeting and anxiety. Finally, the Red Zone is the most intense of all the zones, with the highest energy level. Below is a picture providing feelings that could occur in these zones
Blue Zone Feelings: Sad, Bored, Tired, Sick
Green Zone Feelings: Happy, Focused, Calm, Proud
Yellow Zone Feelings: Worried, Frustrated, Silly, Excited
Red Zone Feelings: Overjoyed/Elated, Panicked, Angry, Terrified
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a type of attention that is focused on the present, has intention, and is nonjudgemental. Self-regulating through mindfulness activities can increase a child’s perception of their daily learning progress. When children are given mindfulness strategies, they can better identify their emotions and implement appropriate steps to process them effectively. Mindfulness exercises can be brief and self-guided.
Examples include:
Mindfulness Breathing: where you do a body scan of how you feel and focus on your breath
Mindful Seeing: look around for things we haven’t noticed before in our surroundings and use careful observation
Thoughtfulness: considering how thoughts dictate feelings and actions
Emotions and Creating Space: identify where emotions are felt in the body
Mindful Walking: slow and mindful walking allows time to notice sensations
Hello, World!
Sensory Spaces and Objects to Support Mindfulness
Sensory objects and rooms can be very supportive environments for a child to practice mindfulness, which can be used at home, brought with a child, or used at school to encourage self-regulation and body awareness to improve behaviors and learning experiences.
Examples Include:
Cushions: can offer various forms of sensory input such as vibration to offer relaxation, bumps that offer tactile input, or be air filled with higher postural and balance requirements and offer movement while sitting. All of these increase awareness of your surroundings to support being mindful of your body.
Beanbag chairs: help increase body awareness and coordination; they also put pressure on the body in different areas, which can reduce anxiety through tactile input and improve focus, supporting self-regulation while doing tasks.
Playdough: supports tactile input and exploration with textures and consistencies to help build connections and find regulating strategies.
Sensory bins: offer multisensory connections and allow differentiation of objects to build connections in the body. Supports navigation and controlled exploration of new sensations to prepare for daily life.
Exercise balls/Trampolines: offer vestibular input to build control of balance, increase body awareness, and offers movement as an outlet to self-regulate.
Lighting: dim and blue light is calming and can support in regulating when the nervous system is overwhelmed and supports mindfulness.
Weighted objects: provide calming effects due to deep pressure on the body to center and be more aware of body signals. They can regulate the brain when there is too much or too little sensory input.
Fidgets: Allow a way to self-regulate while doing other tasks to keep the sensory system from feeling overwhelmed and reduce anxiety. It can help with focus and being more present with your surroundings or an activity.
References
Blanck, P., Perleth, S., Heidenreich, T., Kröger, P., Ditzen, B., Bents, H., & Mander, J. (2018). Effects of mindfulness exercises as stand-alone intervention on symptoms of anxiety and 44 depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Behaviour research and therapy, 102, 25–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2017.12.002
Kuypers, L. M. (2011). The zones of regulation: A curriculum designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control. Think Social Publishing, Incorporated.
McQuiston, R. J. (2021). The impact of mindfulness practice on adolescents with special needs and mental health diagnosis [Masterʼs thesis, Bethel University]. Spark Repository. https://spark.bethel.edu/ etd/433
Theraspeak. (n.d.) Interoception picture. [Photograph]. Tots On Target. www.totsontarget.com
Zhu, G., Zheng, J., Ratner, K., Li, Q., Estevez, M., & Burrow, A. L. (2024). How trait and state positive emotions, negative emotions, and self-regulation relate to adolescents’ perceived daily learning progress. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2024.102275