Self-Verbalization
This is a type of cognitive skill that involves increasing a child’s awareness of their inner-voice. The goal of self-verbalization is to decrease negative self-statements and increase use of constructive self-statements. Many strategies can be used by a youth’s therapist to help the child tune in to their inner dialogue and change it for the better.

What should my therapist be doing?

• Teaching your child that speech directed toward themselves (either aloud or internally) can be used to alter beliefs and remember information, rules, and strategies

• Modeling self-verbalized statements that may help with performance, mood or anxiety:

  • Problem definition (e.g., “What is it I have to do?”)

  • Focusing of attention (“I need to pay attention to what I’m doing”)

  • Planning and response guidance (“I need to work carefully”)

  • Self-reinforcement (“I’m doing fine”)

  • Self-evaluation (“Am I doing things in the right order?”)

  • Coping statements (“I need to try again when I don’t get it right”)

What should I be doing?

• Encouraging your child to practice their self-verbalization skills

• Providing your child opportunities to practice their self-verbalization skills with different tasks or situations

• Praising your child for using these skills in day-to-day settings

How will I know if it is working?

• Your child will use self-verbalization to aid with tasks involving memory/attention, maintain a positive outlook when learning and persevere in the face of difficulties

• Your child should experience increased confidence in their abilities