Emotion Regulation in Adolescents: How Can Parents Offer Support?

Adolescence is a period in which the brain regions associated with emotion and impulse control are still developing. For this reason, adolescents’ emotional ups and downs—though they often seem “excessive” to adults—are developmentally expected. The most valuable support parents can provide during this period is to help make sense of an emotion rather than suppress it.

A practical approach: first help the adolescent name the emotion they are experiencing (“Do you feel angry right now, or disappointed?”), and then think together about how they can cope with it. Listening first, instead of immediately offering a solution, helps the adolescent feel understood.

Setting limits and accepting emotions are not opposites. Statements such as “It’s understandable that you’re angry, but breaking things is not an option” both validate the emotion and clarify the behavioral limit.

If your adolescent’s difficulties with emotion regulation noticeably affect their daily functioning (school, friendships, family relationships), seeking support from a professional can make the process easier.