Laying the foundations of mental health

The Mental Health Foundation notes one in ten children rising to one in four adults will experience mental health issues in any given year (MHF 2015).

Around 50 per cent of women with perinatal mental health problems are not identified or treated, the consequences of which costs the UK economy over £8 billion a year.

Balbernie and Barrows draw attention to research which shows how active, satisfying and responsive relationships in the early years are a buffer against mental disorders throughout life (YM 2004).

At Norland College, our students are learning about the neurophysiological foundations for future mental health and well-being as part of their degree in early development and learning. The significance of early relationships in laying the foundation for mental health is well known, but research is opening up new understanding about how appropriate caregiving experiences are enshrined not just in our brains but in our bodies, producing ‘biological’ memories that lead to lifelong physical and mental health (NSCDC 2012). One theory that illustrates how secure attachment affects our biological functioning is the work of Porges.

Porges (2011) draws attention to the neurophysiological foundations of resilience. His research has shown how stable, responsive relationships help to create an effective stress response system and socially positive behaviours. He highlights the role of a particular part of the stress response system, called the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the part of our nervous system which acts like a ‘paramedic’ coming to rescue us whenever we feel stressed. It is a long, wandering, complex nerve system which rises into our brain stem and down into every major organ in our body. When we are stressed, our brains and bodies are flooded with stress hormones and galvanised into action – our hearts beat faster, blood pressure rises, our digestion stalls. The system acts as a ‘brake’ on the stress response system. It plays a key role in returning our brain and body to a normal and productive operating state. Picking up a crying baby, stroking, shushing and rocking all help to stimulate the vagus nerve to trigger a calmer response, helping to establish good vagal tone (Sunderland 2006).

Vagal tone is the ability to assess and respond to threats and return the body and brain to normal. The establishment of good vagal tone is supported by responsive caregiving where our physical and emotional needs are met and caregivers co-regulate and return us to a calm state. Through repeated nurturing opportunities, babies and young children practise and adapt their biological and behavioural responses and learn to self-soothe and self-regulate. Good vagal tone is linked to better emotional balance, clearer thinking, improved attention, better digestion, a more efficient immune system, prosocial behaviours and greater resilience (Rose et al 2016). In short, children who have good vagal tone are better at responding to and recovering from emotional stress.

EXTRA SUPPORT

What else can early years practitioners to do support the development of good vagal tone? A useful strategy is Emotion Coaching (Gottman erespond to stresst al1997). Emotion Coaching is about helping children to understand the different emotions they experience, why they occur and how to handle them. It is a way of communicating with a child during ‘emotional moments’. It is essentially comprised of two key elements: empathy and guidance. Empathy involves recognising, labelling and validating a child’s emotions, regardless of the behaviour, in order to promote self-awareness and understanding of emotions. Such acceptance by the adult of the child’s emotional state creates a context of responsiveness and security, and helps the child to engage with more rational thinking. The circumstances might also require setting limits on appropriate behaviour (such as stating clearly what is acceptable). Key to this process is guidance: engagement with the child in problem-solving in order to support the child’s ability to learn to self-regulate by managing their emotions and promoting prosocial behaviours.

Children who are Emotion Coached have better vagal tone (Gottman et al 1997). Emotion Coaching encourages parents and practitioners to think about, interpret and reflect back the internal feeling state of the child. It can help children’s ‘fight/flight’ responses to be modulated and channelled into more socially appropriate behaviours. Given that mental health relates to how we feel, relate to others, handle stress and make effective decisions, Emotion Coaching can play a powerful role in laying the foundations for future mental health and well-being.

References

Gottman, J., Katz, L. & Hooven, C. (1997) Meta-emotion, how families communicate emotionally. New York: Psychology Press

MHF (2015) Fundamental Facts About Mental Health.  London: MHF.  Accessed - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/fundamental-facts-15.pdf

Porges, S. (2011) The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation.  New York: Norton & Company.

Rose, J., Gilbert, L. and Richards, V. (2016) Health and Well-being in the Early Childhood. London: Sage.

Sunderland, M. (2006) The Science of Parenting.  London: Dorling Kindersley

Young Minds (2016) Mental Health in Infancy. Young Minds: London. Accessed - http://www.youngminds.org.uk/assets/0000/1332/YM_Infancy_Policy.pdf