Eneseohje

Eneseohje is a term used to describe self-directed instructions or self-guidance that a person uses to regulate their thoughts, emotions, and actions. In Finnish-language literature, it is often equated with self-instruction or self-guidance, a form of inner speech or self-talk designed to support task performance and behavior change.

Practically, eneseohje can take the form of spoken or written prompts, such as step-by-step plans, reminders, or motivational phrases that a person repeats during a task. It is used in education to help students manage attention and approach problems methodically, and in clinical or counseling settings to teach clients cognitive-behavioral strategies for dealing with anxiety, frustration, or habitual errors.

Construction and practice: Statements should be concrete, task-specific, and positive; examples include “First, check the instructions,” “If I feel stuck, I will break the problem into smaller parts,” “I can take a deep breath and continue.” The technique often involves modeling by teachers or therapists, then gradual withdrawal of external prompts while the individual internalizes the guidance.

Relation to research: Self-instructional training (SIT), developed by Meichenbaum, is a related framework that emphasizes self-statements to regulate behavior. Eneseohje shares core ideas with inner speech, metacognition, and self-regulation and is found in educational, organizational, and psychological contexts.

Related concepts include self-talk, self-regulation, and metacognition.