What is low frustration tolerance
Low frustration tolerance (LFT) is the inability to regulate one's emotions in the face of adversity, loss of control, or a blocked goal. Children with low tolerance for frustration often show irritability, emotional outbursts, or tantrums when things go wrong.
These children often lack emotional regulation. Because of their emotional disorder, they are often misunderstood as strong-willed, spoiled, or entitled. As a result, many of them don't get the help they need to develop proper coping and conditioning skills.
cause
Because of their innate temperament, some babies are more vulnerable than others. Babies who are prone to frustration tend to be less attentive but more active. They use less effective self-regulation strategies to regulate emotional responses.
Frustration is a complex emotional response. It is caused by the interaction of multiple brain circuits involved in emotion regulation. Scientists have found that some children with LFTs have defects in these neural circuits.
Children learn how to self-regulate in early childhood by co-ordinating with their parents. Warm, sensitive parenting is closely related to the emotional regulation of young children.
Parents with upbringing can provide comfort and support to children who are experiencing frustrating or horrific events. However, punitive and harsh parenting styles can exacerbate a child's aggression and emotional disorders.
While the presence of a low tolerance for frustration is not necessarily caused by poor parenting, it can cause it to worsen.
Logos and effects
Frustrated babies show negative emotions and distress about novelties.
They showed more physical signs of depression, such as punching or kicking, and more depressed-centered behaviors. These children have a lower threshold of pain. They may be seen as picky, poorly self-soothing, and intolerant of change. These babies cry more and need fewer negative triggers.
Older children with LFTs have chronic, extreme difficulties in dealing with frustration. They may have tantrums in children who are not suitable for development. Such children are often inflexible. Criticism, failure, and stress are harder for them to deal with.
LFT children are often seen as provocative or explosive children because they are more inclined to be aggressive, antisocial and criminal. They are also more likely to perform poorly in school due to more behavioral problems and fewer social skills.
Parents' responses to these children are usually less supportive and responsive. In stressful situations, harsh discipline or lack of response can exacerbate anger and frustration.
Tolerate your child's low tolerance for frustration
When a child completely collapses because of a small thing, it is difficult for adults to have empathy. We may even think that their provocative actions were deliberate.
However, it is important that we stay calm and show them how we can overcome our frustrations.
Emotional regulation is not something we are born with. Children learn to build tolerance for frustration by watching adults regulate their frustrations.
We have to show them how to do it in real life, not just talk about it.
Use a warm and responsive parenting style
Warm and responsive parenting allows children to build a secure attachment relationship with their parents. It can help children learn how to regulate their emotions.
Warmth in parenting is also associated with healthy brain development in children and adolescents.
Adapt to their frustrations
In order for children to learn emotional regulation, they must experience it for themselves. The problem is that children are not born with the ability to self-regulate, so we must first help them gain this experience.
Mood regulation is one of the fastest and most effective ways to help depressed children regulate their nervous system.
Reconciliation means expressing the same emotions as your child through language, facial expressions, and body language, but in a controlled way so that your child can see that you understand them.
For example, you can frown and say in a slightly nervous tone, "You're frustrated because you can't open the box." ”
This empathetic gesture is a common regulatory process that is essential to developing children's tolerance for frustration.
Prepare and practice for potential setbacks
Disappointment can be a very frustrating experience. It's even more frustrating when you're not expecting it.
Some children with very low tolerance for frustration may have a hard time coping with disappointed thoughts. Fixing it ahead of time is much better than really something accidentally hitting them.
Children who cannot control or tolerate their rapidly escalating frustrations are unable to think rationally about their behavior. They may not know how to respond now.
If you warn your child about something that might frustrate them and practice dealing with it, they may be able to take more control over themselves.
However, this will not work overnight. Building those regulatory neural circuits in your child's brain requires a lot of practice. Continue to practice with them and support their learning.
Teach problem-solving skills
The inability to achieve one's goals, coupled with feelings of helplessness, can lead to frustration. Being proactive in solving problems can reduce frustration in your child.
Despite the frustrating situation, help them find different ways to create different outcomes. Give them examples of similar struggles you or someone else has and overcome them.
Keep an eye out for signs of hunger or tiredness
Some children may be more likely to feel depressed at dinner time due to hunger.
According to one study, children who were given sugar when completing challenging tasks were less likely to become depressed.
Emotional counseling
To prevent older children from collapsing in the future, instruct your child on frustration management. Talk to them about their emotions when they are calm. Ask them to talk about their feelings and listen carefully. Discussing emotions with your child rather than ignoring them can help them develop self-regulation.
Emotional guidance from parents teaches children to identify their emotions and provides them with strategies to cope with stressful situations.
Parenting training
Studies have shown that combining children's problem-solving skills training with parent management training has achieved significantly better results in helping children manage frustration.
Parent management training focuses on parenting practices, parent-child interaction and emergencies that may support behavioural change in vulnerable children.
Psychotherapy and medical help
Poor frustration tolerance is a common symptom or autism spectrum disorder in children with ADHD (ADHD).
Some of them may experience extreme emotions in difficult situations. To improve their ability to regulate their emotions, these children may need medical intervention.