Relationship between autistic traits and emotion regulation using humor in the general population

Abstract This study examined which characteristics of autistic traits have a positive or negative relationship with emotional regulation using humor. Participants completed the Japanese version of the Social Responsiveness Scale 2 (SRS-2), Adult-Self and Humor Coping with Interpersonal Stress Scale (HCISS). The results showed that while the overall score of the SRS-2 was not significantly linked to emotion regulation using humor, the subscale of capacity for reciprocal social communication was negatively associated with the HCISS score. In contrast, the subscale of restricted interests and repetitive behavior was positively related to the HCISS score. This difference suggests that the two autistic traits influence emotion regulation using humor. These findings could help develop interventions to enhance adaptive emotion regulation strategies in individuals with high autistic traits.