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Using Interactions Between Children and Companion Animals to Build Skills in Self-Regulation and Emotion Regulation

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Teaching Compassion: Humane Education in Early Childhood

Part of the book series: Educating the Young Child ((EDYC,volume 8))

Abstract

A decade into the twenty-first century, educators are becoming significantly more interested in the self-regulation and emotion regulation skills that children and youth will need in order to thrive in their learning and living contexts and avoid the alienation and loneliness that are becoming pervasive in our society. Empirical researchers and neuroscientists are exploring evidence-based practices and programs that can support the acquisition of self-regulation and emotion regulation through human-animal companion relationships. This chapter includes the definitions of and differentiation between self-regulation and emotion regulation, the current conception and role of companion animals, how children benefit from interactions with companion animals, and the self-regulation and emotion regulation skills that can be nurtured when children and animals interact and bond.

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6922-9_16

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) and the Social Sciences and Human Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) for funding the research cited in this chapter. I would also like to acknowledge my research affiliation with the Centre for Youth and Society, University of Victoria, B.C., Canada.

A special thank you to my family as well as my own animal companions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Wanda Boyer Ph.D.

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  1. Wanda Boyer Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Wanda Boyer Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University of Pennsylvania Studies in Education, INDIANA, Pennsylvania, USA

    Mary Renck Jalongo

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Boyer, W. (2014). Using Interactions Between Children and Companion Animals to Build Skills in Self-Regulation and Emotion Regulation. In: Renck Jalongo, M. (eds) Teaching Compassion: Humane Education in Early Childhood. Educating the Young Child, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6922-9_3

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