Response inhibition is the ability to think before acting or speaking. There are a number of factors that can affect this ability in children, including being emotionally stimulated and not getting enough sleep. Response inhibition develops during infancy and is critical for the use of all other executive functions.
The Marshmallow Test
In 1972, a famous study was conducted where three-year-old children were left alone in a room with a single marshmallow. They were given the choice of either having the one marshmallow now or receiving two when the experimenter returned. Those children who were able to resist eating the marshmallow were found to have better grades, less legal trouble, and other measures of success at followups as compared to the children who ate the marshmallow. This study showed the clear impact of response inhibition skills across the lifespan.
Signs Your Child Struggles with Response Inhibition
If your child has difficulty with any of the following areas (organized by grade level), they may have response inhibition deficits:
Preschool/Kindergarten
- Demonstrating appropriate behavior in dangerous situations
- Sharing toys
- Waiting for brief periods of time
First-Third Grade
- Following basic classroom and home rules
- Not touching other children
- Waiting to speak to parents when they are on the phone
Fourth-Fifth Grade
- Not letting conflicts with peers become physical
- Following rules at home and school even when unsupervised
- Being able to calm down from emotional experiences
Sixth-Eighth Grade
- Walking away from confrontations
- Not making hurtful comments
- Being able to stick to plans, even when more exciting ones arise
Strategies to Address Response Inhibition Challenges
The following strategies can be implemented to help your child if they struggle with response inhibition:
- Remove temptations (e.g., unhealthy snacks if this is a concern)
- Establish routines (e.g., bedtime)
- Develop clear household and school rules
- Provide close supervision if your child is in a situation where they could easily get into trouble or hurt
- Introduce waiting periods for things your child wants by using a kitchen timer. Initially, use very short periods of time and gradually increase the duration
- Use first/then schedules (e.g., first take out the trash, then you can play video games)
- Have your child work to earn items they want (using sticker charts and other visual aids can be beneficial in this process)
- Help your child understand the consequences of their actions. Often these consequences may be natural (e.g., not studying for a test results in performing poorly)
- Role play response inhibition skills by enacting common or upcoming situations where your child will need these skills
- Review response inhibition skills immediately prior to your child engaging in the activity where they will be needed (e.g., going to a birthday party)
- Reward your child if they effectively use these skills
By following these strategies, you can help your child overcome their response inhibition challenges and reach their potential.
Reference:
Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2009). Smart but scattered. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.