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EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION IN COPING STRATEGIES |
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The Effects of Explicit Instruction in Coping Strategies on Emotional Regulation and Classroom Behavior Among Elementary Students.
Caitlyn D.
Master of Science in Education
Research Project
October 2026
Southwest Minnesota State University
School of Education
Marshall, Minnesota 56258
Literature Review Outline
Topic: The effects of explicit instruction in coping strategies on emotional regulation and classroom behavior among elementary students.
I. Introduction
A. Background of the problem
1. Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) in elementary students
2. Need for effective interventions to support emotional regulation and behavior
B. Purpose of review
1. Examine effects of explicit instruction on coping strategies
2. Determine impact on classroom behavior and emotional regulation
C. Review Organization
II. Emotional Regulation in Elementary Students
A. Definition of Emotional Regulation
1. Poor emotional regulation can lead to communication anxiety and reduced self-confidence, thereby negatively impacting the development of pedagogical competence. (Dao Thi Thu et al., 2026)
2. Emotional regulation is not only an individual ability but also a fundamental element of pedagogical communication competence. (Dao Thi Thu et al., 2026)
B. Emotional Regulation Development
1. Emotional regulation develops gradually as children learn to identify emotions, control impulses, and use appropriate strategies to manage emotional responses (Dao Thi Thu et al., 2026).
C. Importance of Emotional Regulation
1. Emotional regulation is closely related to students' engagement, peer relationships, school connectedness, and academic success. (Marsh et al. 2019)
2. Students who demonstrate stronger self-regulation and coping skills are more likely to remain engage in classroom activities (Ramirez et al. 2019)
D. Impact on Learning and Engagement
1. Explicit instruction in coping strategies can increase students' ability to remain on task and persist through challenging academic activities by providing tools for managing emotional stressors (Ramirez et al., 2019).
2. Improved emotional regulation is associated with increased self-management skills, enabling students to monitor their behavior and remain engaged (Milone & Sesso, 2022).
III. Emotional and Behavioral Challenges
A. Characteristics of EBD
1. Difficulties with behaviour, emotions, and social development can all inhibit learning and access to learning. (Farrell, 2006)
2. Examples of challenging behaviour are likely to include self-injury, injury to others, damage to the surroundings, severe non-compliance, stereotyped movement or speech, faecal smearing, pica, unacceptable sexual behaviour, and persistent screaming. (Farrell, 2006)
B. Emotional Regulation Deficits
1. Emotional dysregulation is associated with increased aggression, noncompliance, disruptive behavior, and conflict with peers and teachers (Farrell, 2006) (Milone & Sesso, 2022).
C. Sensory Processing Challenges
1. Difficulties with sensory regulation may contribute to disruptive or off-task behavior, targeting the need for support or behavioral interventions (Stichter et al. 2004).
2. Another characteristic of children who have difficulties regulating their nervous system is that they tend to have rigid mind-sets or patterns of thinking. In other words, they are inflexible in either their thinking or their behavior (Mouton-Odum & Golomb, 2021).
D. Consequences of Poor Emotional Regulation
1. The definition included engaging in out-of-seat behavior (i.e., bottom not in contact with chair), manipulating objects not related to the task, physically touching other students when not related to the task, drawing/writing when not related to the task, humming, whistling, and talking to another student when not allowed. (Ramirez et al. 2019)
IV. Explicit Instruction of Coping Strategies
A. Definition and Purpose of Coping Strategies
1. Coping skills include techniques such as relaxation, deep breathing, and coping statements that can be used before, during, and after difficult experiences. (Mouton-Odum & Golomb, 2021, p.122)
B. Why Explicit Instruction is Necessary
1. Teaching social-emotional and coping skills proactively may prevent the development of more severe behavioral and emotional difficulties later in a student's academic career (Lopes, 2005).
2. To support student success, educators should intentionally teach social-emotional and coping skills alongside academic content (DeJaeghere et al. 2022).
C. Components of Effective Explicit Instruction
1. Teaching emotional vocabulary allows students to communicate more effectively (Chan, 2005)
2. Effective instruction begins with helping students recognize, label, and understand their emotions before attempting to regulate them (Dao Thi Thu, et al. 2026)
D. Commonly Taught Coping Strategies
1. Relaxation strategies and techniques, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and calm-down routines (Mouton-Odum & Golomb, 2021).
V. Evidence-Based Interventions for Teaching Coping Strategies
A. Social Stories and Apron Storytelling
1. Social stories use pictures of the child engaging in desirable target behavior to enable the learner to consider his or her own behavior, as well as reactions from others (Haggerty et al. 2005).
B. Mindfulness-Based Interventions
1. Mindfulness interventions teach students to focus their attention on the present moment and become more aware. Increase self-awareness enables students to identify stressors or triggers and then ability to apply coping strategies more effectively (Milone & Sesso, 2022).
C. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
1. By increasing our understanding concerning the complexity of the effect of these antecedent variables on inappropriate and appropriate behavior, we will be able to design feasible and effective technology for developing preventative combinations for students with EBD. (Stichter et al. 2004)
VI. Effects of Explicit Coping Strategy Instruction
A. Effects on Emotional Regulation
1. Evidence-based interventions that teach coping skills have been associated with reductions in emotional dysregulation and emotional outbursts (Haggerty et al., 2005).
B. Effects on Classroom Behavior
1. Students who can learn coping skills are better able to manage emotional reactions, resulting in fewer outbursts and classroom disruptions (Milone & Sesso, 2022).
C. Effects on Academic Engagement
1. School connectedness and positive relationships with teachers and peers are linked to greater engagement and academic motivation (Marsh et al., 2019).
D. Long-Term Benefits
1. Explicit instruction helps students build self-regulation skills that can be applied across multiple areas in development such as academic, social, and personal settings (Dao Thi Thu et al., 2026)
VII. Importance of Early Intervention
A. Benefits of early intervention
1. Early intervention can prevent emotional and behavioral challenges from becoming more severe (Lopes 2005).
2. Early instruction in coping strategies can help children learn appropriate responses (Haggerty et al. 2005).
B. Delays in intervention
1. Indeed, most teachers wait until 4th grade to decide about the course of any intervention (Lopes, 2005).
C. Consequences of waiting
1. Research suggests that younger underachievers may be more prone to develop internalized disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression) than older underachievers because they struggle to succeed but keep failing (Lopes, 2001; Lopes et al. 2004).” (Lopes, 2005).
2. Delayed intervention can allow emotional and behavioral difficulties to continue interfering with students' academic progress (Farell, 2006).
VIII. Summary
1. Review of Key Findings
2. Conclusion
Section 1
Introduction
Background of the Problem
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) refer to patterns of emotional or behavioral responses that interfere with a student's education, social relationships, and ability to function successfully within a classroom. Students with EBD may demonstratedifficulties with managing emotions, controlling impulses, maintainingpositive relationships, and responding appropriately to everyday classroom expectations. These difficulties can occur across different settings, including school, home, and social settings. Some persistent challenges that arise can be related to anxiety, depression, aggressions, withdrawal, defiance, or difficulty regulating emotional responses. It is important to recognize that students with EBD are not simply choosing to misbehave; their behaviors may reflect underlying difficulties. Understanding these characteristics is important because students with EBD often require more than traditional classroom management. They may benefit from explicit instruction, structured routines, social-emotional learningopportunities, positive reinforcements, and direct teaching of coping strategies. Although this topic covers a lot of elementary students that have an EBD diagnosis, this topic can also refer to students who experience emotional regulation difficulties without EBD identification.
Common emotional and behavioral challenges ofexperiences by elementary students can include emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, aggression, disruptive behavior, anxiety, social isolation, withdrawal, and frustration tolerance. All of these challenges make it difficult for students to develop the skills necessary for successful classroom participation. For example, a student who may struggle managing frustration may not have the ability to complete independent work, but a student who experiences anxiety may avoid participating in group related activities. It'simportant to recognize that these challenges do not always appear to be disruptive behaviors. Some students internalize their emotions. As educators, we must be able to recognize both external (aggression and defiance) and internal (anxiety and social withdrawal) behaviors.
Emotional regulation plays an important role in students' ability to succeed academically and socially. During the elementary years students' emotional regulation refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and appropriately respond to emotional experiences. Elementary students are working on the ability to use those skills and often need adult guidance to navigate challenging situations. Students who are unable to regulate emotions independently can negatively affect several areas of their education. Areas that may have an impact include learning and academic performance, peer relationships and social development, as well as classroom participation and behavior.
Teachers may also face challenges when supporting students with emotional and behavioral needs. Special education teachers and general education teachers deal with significant challenges day in and day out. Some challenges that are present include managing behaviors while maintaining instruction. It's difficult to address frequent emotional outbursts, disruptive behaviors, aggression, or refusal to participatewhile continuing to provide instruction to the entire class. Another big challenge is time. There is limited time for individualized emotional support. There are many challenges but one other to mention would be that the ability to identify the underlying cause of behavior can be difficult. Teachers may unintentionally respond in ways that do not address the students' underlying needs.
Academic, emotional, behavioral, and social challenges that elementary students demonstrate, show the importance of teaching emotional regulation skills directly to all. Students who face these challenges typically cannot learn or develop effective coping strategies without consistent instruction, modeling, and opportunities for practice. Some may be able to naturally learn to manage; some require more structured support.By teaching students' practical skills for managing frustration, anxiety, disappointment, and anger, educators can support the development of emotional regulation while potentially reducing behaviors that interfere with classroom learning.
Purpose of Review
The purpose of this literature review is to examine the effects of explicit instruction in coping strategies on emotional regulation and classroom behavior among elementary students. Specifically, the review will explore how directly teaching coping strategies can help students recognize, understand, and manage their emotions whiledevelopingappropriate behavior responses during challenging situations. Students are not always capable of learningappropriate and emotional responses independently;therefore,it is important to examine instructional approaches that intentionally teach students how to respond to emotional challenges. There aredifferent evidence-based learning techniques and coping strategies that can be provided to students.
Review Organization
Throughout the review,the focus will include emotional regulation in elementary students specifically the development, importance, and the impact it has on learning and engagement. Following that, it will cover emotional and behavioral challenges. At this point in the review, it will consider the characteristics of EBD, emotional regulation deficits, sensory processing challenges, and consequences of poor emotional regulation. After identifyingthese challenges, identifying coping strategies and explicit instruction would entail the why and components of effective instruction. The review will also involve commonly taught coping strategies and how to implement them. To follow up, the exploration of evidence-based interventions for teaching coping strategies. Beyond that, the importance and purpose of the effects of explicit coping strategy instruction. Lastly, the importance of early intervention is concluding a summary and review of key findings.
Section 2
Emotional Regulation in Elementary Students
Definition of Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is the ability to manage emotional responses, choosing how to express, adjust, or experience feelings such as anger, sadness, etc. Emotional regulation is the process people use to influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express them.
Dao Thi Thu et al. (2026) focused on how emotional regualtion is not only an individual ability but also a fundamental element of pedagogical communication competence. Their findingshighlight that poor emotional regulation can lead to communication anxiety and reduced self-confidence, thereby negatively impacting the development of pedagogical competence. Milone & Sesso (2022) helped explain that emotional regulation is not simply controlling emotions. It involves recognizing feelings, managing emotional responses, and using coping strategies when experiencing difficult emotions.
Emotional regulation is not something that is taught overnight or within one lesson. Emotional regulation has many components and looks different for each student. Emotional regulation is a tool every student needs to be able to participate, interact, and manage challenging classroom situations.
Emotional Regulation Development
Haggerty et al. (2005) focused on a study with a 6 ½ year old boy with behavioral struggles. The study focused on using social stories showing desirable behaviors and helping the child consider their own behavior and other people's reactions. This review shows how children can develop social awareness and learn appropriate responses. Kirk’s intervention was able to reduce his frustration behavior by 60%, showing that children can learn strategies to manage frustration and change their emotional responses. Teachers monitoredKirks' transitions, waiting turns, following directions, and cooperating with his peers. Based onobservation, Kirk was able to develop self-control and social behavior. One strong example from Haggerty et al (2005) was when Kirk was frustrated after a basketball accident hitting other students, instead of an outburst he was able to use a counting strategy to calm himself. This type of emotionalregulation was learned and practiced. Kirk was able to use a coping strategy rather than reacting impulsively. The takeaway from this article is that Kirk was able to learn how to recognize signs of frustration, use a coping strategy when experiencing strong emotions, control an immediate behavioral reaction, and apply a learned strategy in a different setting. Another article that shares similarities is Chan (2005). Chan (2005) that even gifted students may experience social and emotional difficulties and sometimes feel things more intenselythan their peers. Chan discusses improving emotionalself-management using emotions effectively and moving away from avoidant coping strategies, which supports the development of healthier ways to cope with emotional challenges. The article supports the idea that emotional development involves learning to manage emotions and understanding others as well as the idea that emotional skills can help young people cope with difficulties.
Importance of Emotional Regulation
Impact on Learning and Engagement
Emotional and Behavioral Challenges
Characteristics of EBD
Emotional Regulation Deficits
Sensory Processing Challenges
Consequences of Poor Emotional Regulation
Explicit Instruction of Coping Strategies
Definition and Purpose of Coping Strategies
Why Explicit Instruction is Necessary
Components of Effective Explicit Instruction
Commonly Taught Coping Strategies
Evidence Based Intervention for Teaching Coping Strategies
Social Stories and Apron Storytelling
Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Effects of Explicit Coping Strategy Instruction
Effects on Emotional Regulation
Effects on Classroom Behavior
Effects on Academic Engagement
Long-Term Benefits
Importance of Early Intervention
Benefits of Early Intervention
Delays in Intervention
Consequences of Waiting
Summary
Review of Key Findings
Conclusion
References
Carrero, K. M., Collins, L. W., & Lusk, M. E. (2017). Equity in the evidence base: Demographic sampling in intervention research for students with emotional and behavior disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 43(1), 253–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0198742917712969
Chan, D. W. (2005). Emotional intelligence, social coping, and psychological distress among Chinese gifted students in Hong Kong. High Ability Studies, 16(2), 163–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/13598130600617589
Dao Thi Thu, T., Vu Thuy, H., Nguyen Thi Thu, T., & Tran Thi, Y. (2026). Evaluating the impact of emotional regulation on the pedagogical communication skills of students in Educational Training Universities. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 15(5), 97–124. https://doi.org/10.32674/ryrzwd39
DeJaeghere, J. G., & Murphy-Graham, E. (2022). Life skills education for youth: Critical perspectives. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030- 85214-6
Farrell, M. (2006). The effective teacher’s guide to behavioural, emotional and social difficulties: Practical strategies. Routledge.
Haggerty, N. K., Black, R. S., & Smith, G. J. (2005). Increasing self-managed coping skills through social stories and apron storytelling. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 37(4), 40–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990503700406
Lopes, J. (2005). Intervention with students with learning, emotional and behavioral disorders: Why do we take so long to do it? Education & Treatment of Children, 28(4), 345–360.
Marsh, R. J., Higgins, K., Morgan, J., Cumming, T. M., Brown, M., & McCreery, M. (2019). Evaluating school connectedness of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Children & Schools, 41(3), 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdz013
Milone, A., & Sesso, G. (2022). Disruptive behavior disorders symptoms, evaluation and treatment. MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Mouton-Odum, S., Ruth Goldfinger. (2021). Helping your child with sensory regulation: Skills to manage the emotional and behavioral components of your child’s sensory processing challenges. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Ramirez, L. H., Hawkins, R. O., Collins, T. A., Ritter, C., & Haydon, T. (2019). Generalizing the effects of group contingencies across instructional settings for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. School Psychology Review, 48(1), 98–112. https://doi.org/10.17105/spr-2017-0122.v48-1
Stichter, J. P., Sasso, G. M., Jolivette, K., & Carr, E. G. (2004). Structural analysis and intervention in a school setting. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6(3), 166–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/10983007040060030401
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