Autistic Traits and Emotion Dysregulation in 5–11-Year-Old Intellectually Able Children With Autism Spectrum Condition: Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Strategies

Abstract

Emotion dysregulation (ED) is common among children with an autism spectrum condition (ASC). However, the mechanisms underlying emotion regulation strategies (ERSs) and their impacts on ED in this population remain unclear. The current study examined whether ED is directly related to autistic traits or mediated by deficits in ERSs after comorbidity is accounted for. A cohort of 110 intellectually able children aged 5–11 years with ASC participated in this study. Autistic traits and ED were assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient-Children and Child Behavior Checklist, respectively. Intrinsic ERSs, specifically cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, were evaluated using the Parent Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, alongside items measuring parental coregulation as an extrinsic ERS. After adjusting for comorbidities (i.e., other neurodevelopmental or neurological disorders), the findings revealed pronounced autistic traits in social skills, attention switching, communication, and imagination correlated with higher ED levels, with parental coregulation mediating this correlation. Notably, the effects of communication and imagination on ED were fully mediated by parental coregulation. Additionally, autistic traits related to imagination were demonstrated to impair the development of cognitive reappraisal, further exacerbating ED. These results provide a deeper understanding of the emotional challenges faced by intellectually able children with ASC. The findings of this study underscore the importance of interventions aimed at enhancing emotion regulation within the parent–child dyad and fostering the development of cognitive reappraisal through imitative tasks. Such ERS-focused interventions hold potential for mitigating the adverse effects of autistic traits on emotional functioning.