A Pilot Study of Self-Regulation and Behavior Problems in Preschoolers with ASD: Parent Broader Autism Phenotype Traits Relate to Child Emotion Regulation and Inhibitory Control

Little is known about the development of self-regulation processes during the preschool period in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). How parental characteristics such as the broader autism phenotype (BAP) relate to children's self-regulation is not well understood. Preschool-aged children with (n = 24) and without ASD (n = 21) completed an inhibitory control task and mothers reported on child emotion regulation and their own BAP traits. Children with ASD had lower emotion regulation, and emotion regulation was a protective factor in the association between ASD and internalizing behavioral concerns. Lability/negativity was highly overlapping with externalizing. Maternal BAP characteristics were differentially associated with all self-regulation outcomes across groups. Parental factors should be considered in emotion regulation interventions for young children with ASD.

Automated summary

Limited information is available on the development of self-regulation processes during the preschool period in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Parental characteristics, such as the broader autism phenotype (BAP), play a role in children's self-regulation, with mothers' BAP traits impacting self-regulation outcomes differently across groups. Emotion regulation was found to be a protective factor against internalizing behavioral concerns in children with ASD. Parental factors should be taken into consideration in emotion regulation interventions for young children with ASD.