Because self-regulation involves different domains, regulation
of one domain affects other areas of development.
Emotional and cognitive self-regulation are not separate,
distinct skills. Rather, thinking affects emotions and emotions
affect cognitive development (Blair & Diamond 2008).
Children who cannot effectively regulate anxiety or discouragement
tend to move away from, rather than engage in,
challenging learning activities. Conversely, when children
regulate uncomfortable emotions, they can relax and focus
on learning cognitive skills. Similarly, children experience
better emotional regulation when they replace thoughts
like “I’m not good at this” with thoughts like “This is difficult,
but I can do it if I keep trying.” Regulating anxiety
and thinking helps children persist in challenging activities,
which increases their opportunities to practice the skills
required for an activity.