Key Takeaways

• Impulse control is a key executive functioning skill that impacts attention, emotional regulation, and decision-making.
• Evidence-based strategies, such as self-monitoring, visual supports, and mindfulness techniques, help students improve impulse control.
• Example IEP goals provided in this guide help educators create meaningful, measurable objectives for student success.

Impulse control is a foundational skill that enables students to pause, think, and regulate their behaviors before acting. It plays a crucial role in decision-making, self-regulation, and social interactions, allowing students to navigate academic and social environments more effectively.

In the classroom, strong impulse control helps students follow directions, take turns in conversations, and manage frustration. However, some students may struggle with impulsive behaviors such as interrupting, blurting out answers, or acting without considering consequences. These challenges can affect their ability to form relationships, meet classroom expectations, and manage emotions.

This article explores the importance of impulse control in students, effective strategies for improving self-regulation, and how to set IEP goals that support the development of impulse control skills.

Understanding Impulse Control in Students

Impulse control is the ability to pause, think, and regulate one’s behaviors and emotions before acting. It plays a vital role in decision-making, self-regulation, and social interactions, helping students navigate daily challenges in school and beyond.

This skill impacts several key areas of development:

• Academic success – Waiting for instructions, staying focused, and completing tasks before moving on.
• Social interactions – Taking turns, respecting boundaries, and engaging in cooperative play.
• Emotional regulation – Managing frustration, coping with disappointment, and responding appropriately in different situations.

Students who struggle with impulse control may interrupt frequently, blurt out inappropriate comments, or act without considering the consequences. These challenges can affect their ability to form relationships, follow classroom expectations, and manage their emotions effectively. Strengthening impulse control helps students develop patience, improve decision-making, and engage more successfully in learning and social interactions.

Strategies for Improving Impulse Control

Impulse control is a critical skill that helps students regulate their actions, think before responding, and manage frustration in social and academic settings. Without strong impulse control, students may interrupt, act without thinking, or struggle with following directions.

The following strategies provide structured ways to help students develop self-awareness, practice self-regulation techniques, and build the ability to pause and make thoughtful decisions before acting.

1. Teach Self-Monitoring and Reflection

• Use self-monitoring charts where students track their impulse control behaviors.
• Encourage students to reflect on their choices and their outcomes.

2. Implement Mindfulness and Self-Regulation Techniques

• Teach deep breathing and counting techniques for pausing before acting.
• Incorporate short mindfulness activities into the daily routine.

Here’s a mindfulness video you can use to teach students box breathing:

3. Use Visual Supports and Structured Routines

• Provide picture cues and step-by-step guides to reinforce expected behaviors.
• Establish clear routines to minimize impulsive decision-making.

4. Reinforce Delayed Gratification and Waiting Strategies

• Use games and activities that encourage turn-taking and patience.
• Teach students to use self-talk (e.g., “I can wait,” “I will listen first, then speak”).

Here’s a sample video modeling lesson from Everyday Speech that addresses turn-taking:

5. Encourage Goal-Setting and Positive Reinforcement

• Set small, attainable goals related to impulse control.
• Use praise and incentives to reinforce self-regulation behaviors.

What Are IEP Goals for Impulse Control?

Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals are structured, measurable objectives designed to help students build the skills they need to succeed in school and everyday life. These goals are outlined in a student’s IEP—a legally binding document that specifies the specialized instruction, services, and accommodations they will receive.

When supporting impulse control, IEP goals focus on helping students develop self-regulation strategies, manage their emotions, and make thoughtful decisions in various settings. These goals may include pausing before responding, following multi-step directions, waiting for a turn, or using coping strategies when frustrated.

By setting realistic, developmentally appropriate goals, educators can provide students with the structured support they need to improve self-control, build positive social interactions, and navigate classroom expectations successfully.

How to Set IEP Goals for Impulse Control

Developing IEP goals for impulse control requires a structured, collaborative approach to ensure student success.

Step 1: Collaborate with Key Stakeholders

IEP goals should be developed with input from teachers, parents, therapists, and the student (when appropriate) to ensure alignment across environments.

Step 2: Assess Current Impulse Control Skills

Before setting goals, assess the student’s:

• Ability to wait their turn in conversations and activities
• Self-monitoring and reflection on impulsive behaviors
• Ability to follow multi-step directions without acting prematurely
• Use of coping strategies to manage impulsive reactions

Step 3: Set SMART IEP Goals

IEP goals should follow the SMART framework:

• Specific: Clearly define the self-regulation skill to be developed.
• Measurable: Establish criteria for tracking progress.
• Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic for the student.
• Relevant: Align with the student’s social and academic needs.
• Time-Bound: Set a clear timeframe for achieving the goal.

Example SMART Goal: “The student will raise their hand and wait to be called on before speaking in 4 out of 5 opportunities during class discussions.”

Step 4: Implement Evidence-Based Strategies to Support Goals

• Use self-monitoring checklists to help students track their impulse control progress.
• Teach mindfulness and breathing exercises to encourage pausing before acting.
• Provide visual supports and social scripts for structured responses in different settings.
• Reinforce positive behaviors with immediate, specific feedback to support habit formation.

Step 5: Monitor Progress and Adjust Goals

• Collect teacher observations and behavior tracking data on student responses.
• Use student self-reflections to encourage awareness and goal-setting.
• Modify goals based on progress, increasing expectations gradually as skills develop.

Step 6: Support Parents and Caregivers

• Provide home strategies for practicing self-regulation (e.g., structured routines, visual reminders).
• Share consistent behavior expectations to reinforce impulse control strategies across settings.
• Offer regular progress updates to ensure alignment between school and home interventions.

Example IEP Goals for Impulse Control

Impulse control is a key skill that helps students regulate their behavior, manage frustration, and make thoughtful decisions in academic and social settings. Students who struggle with impulse control may interrupt conversations, act without thinking, or have difficulty following directions. By setting clear, measurable IEP goals, educators can support students in developing self-regulation strategies that improve classroom engagement and peer interactions.

Below are example goals designed to help students strengthen impulse control in structured and natural settings.

Increasing Turn-Taking in Conversations

1. The student will wait for their turn to speak in group discussions in 80% of observed interactions.
2. The student will use a visual or verbal cue (e.g., raising a hand) before speaking in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
3. The student will listen to a peer’s response before contributing to a conversation in 80% of structured discussions.

Here’s a sample video modeling lesson from Everyday Speech that addresses turn-taking with students:

Following Multi-Step Directions

1. The student will complete two-step directions without acting prematurely in 80% of observed instances.
2. The student will follow three-step instructions in 4 out of 5 structured activities.
3. The student will repeat verbal instructions before acting to confirm understanding in 80% of opportunities.

Reducing Interrupting Behaviors

1. The student will raise their hand and wait to be called on before speaking in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
2. The student will refrain from interrupting during teacher-led instruction in 80% of observed instances.
3. The student will use a silent signal (e.g., finger tap, gesture) to indicate readiness to speak in 4 out of 5 classroom activities.

Here’s a sample video modeling lesson from Everyday Speech that helps students understand when to think or say something:

Delaying Immediate Reactions

1. The student will pause for five seconds before responding impulsively to a peer or adult request in 80% of observed opportunities.
2. The student will verbalize their thought process before acting when presented with a choice in 4 out of 5 structured settings.
3. The student will use a self-monitoring strategy (e.g., counting, inner speech) to delay an impulsive reaction in 80% of observed moments.

Using Self-Regulation Strategies

1. The student will use a learned self-regulation technique (e.g., deep breathing, counting to five) in 4 out of 5 observed moments of frustration.
2. The student will recognize early signs of frustration and request a coping strategy in 80% of opportunities.
3. The student will independently use a calming strategy before responding to a challenging situation in 4 out of 5 instances.

Here’s a sample video modeling lesson from Everyday Speech you can use to address self-regulation with students:

Demonstrating Patience in Structured Activities

1. The student will wait their turn during structured classroom activities (e.g., lining up, group games) in 90% of opportunities.
2. The student will engage in a waiting activity (e.g., fidget toy, visual timer) to maintain self-control in 4 out of 5 observed situations.
3. The student will follow wait-time expectations before accessing a preferred activity in 80% of structured opportunities.

Bonus IEP Resource

Everyday Speech is a no-prep social skills curriculum that teaches skills like self-regulation, resilience, and problem-solving through evidence-based video modeling. Here is an example video modeling lesson from our curriculum: Understanding My IEP.

The video, developed for middle and high school students, guides students through understanding their IEP, highlighting its purpose, components, and the importance of self-advocacy in customizing their educational experience:

Helping students improve impulse control through well-designed IEP goals is crucial for their academic and social growth. By implementing structured, measurable goals and research-backed strategies, educators can equip students with the tools they need to regulate their impulses effectively.

With structured support and consistent reinforcement, students can develop stronger self-regulation skills, fostering better focus, decision-making, and peer interactions.