Emotion regulation and intervention in adults with autism spectrum disorder: a synthesis of the literature

Abstract

Purpose Emotion regulation is an ongoing multiprocess phenomenon and is a challenging developmental task to acquire in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have different neurobiological profiles and emotion regulation problems. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature to understand the neurobiological and psychological perspective of emotion regulation in ASD, while converging themes of psychosocial interventions and existing best practices on emotion regulation within this heterogeneous population are reviewed and discussed in consideration of intellectual disability (ID). Design/methodology/approach Review of recent literature and common empirically supported interventions addressing emotional regulation implemented in individuals with and without ASD, and with and without ID were included in the electronic database search through PubMed, EBSChost, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, GALE and SAGE. Search terms used included autism, ID, cognitive control, executive function, sensory processing/intervention, emotion regulation, cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness, social stories, positive behavior support and behavior therapy. Findings Neural systems governing emotion regulation can be divided into “top-down” and “bottom-up” processing. Prefrontal cortex, cognitive and attentional control are critical for effective emotion regulation. Individuals with ASD, and with ID show impairments in these areas have problems with emotion regulation. Targeted psychosocial intervention need to consider bottom-up and top-down processes of emotion regulation, and that standardized interventions require adaptations. Originality/value There are limited studies looking into understanding the neurobiological and psychological perspective of emotion regulation in ASD and linking them to interventions. This review highlights psychosocial interventions that are important for further research, investigation and development as treatment in this population is limited.

Effects of psychedelic microdosing versus conventional ADHD medication use on emotion regulation, empathy, and ADHD symptoms in adults with severe ADHD symptoms: A naturalistic prospective comparison study

“…Focusing on ER and empathy extends the investigation beyond core ADHD symptoms, addressing broader problem features. Furthermore, given the transdiagnostic properties of ER and empathy [ 52 , 53 ], MD may hold potential as a treatment for various patient populations experiencing ER difficulties, such as borderline [ 54 , 55 ] and narcissistic personality disorders [ 56 , 57 ], social anxiety disorder [ 58 , 59 ], autism spectrum disorder [ 60 , 61 ], and mood disorders [ 58 , 62 ]. For MD to be considered a treatment option, it should be viewed within an integrated framework, guided by a trained therapist or clinician, who incorporates MD into existing treatment modalities.…”

Actas del I Congreso Internacional de Educación y Diversidad

“…La presencia de disforia emocional podría ser un indicador de menores tasas y gravedad de autolesiones. Conclusiones: Gracias al enfoque transdiagnóstico, se identifican variables que influyen directamente en la presencia de diferentes conductas desafiantes (como es el caso de componentes de disregulación emocional reactividad y disforia emocional), y que deben considerarse en las intervenciones conductuales, como sugiere la investigación (Lim, 2020;Shoalb et al, 2021). Los profesionales deben tener conocimientos y formación en intervención en regulación de emociones y sus componentes.…”

Development and validation of a system for the prediction of challenging behaviors of people with autism spectrum disorder based on a smart wearable shirt: A mixed-methods design

“…Several forms of intervention have been proposed for reducing CB in people with ASD, including medications ( Malone et al, 2005 ; Blankenship et al, 2010 ; McPheeters et al, 2011 ; Sawyer et al, 2014 ), behavioral interventions ( Scotti et al, 1996 ; Didden et al, 2006 ; Machalicek et al, 2007 , 2016 ; Lydon et al, 2013 ; Fettig and Barton, 2014 ; Erturk et al, 2018 ; MacNaul and Neely, 2018 ; Weston et al, 2018 ; Inoue, 2019 ), cognitive/emotion-oriented interventions ( Neal and Barton Wright, 2003 ; Zetteler, 2008 ; O’Neil et al, 2011 ; Cotelli et al, 2012 ; Subramaniam and Woods, 2012 ; Doyle et al, 2013 ), sensory stimulation/integration interventions ( Lang et al, 2012 ; Barton et al, 2015 ; Case-Smith et al, 2015 ; Leong et al, 2015 ; Wan Yunus et al, 2015 ; Watling and Hauer, 2015 ), music therapy ( Gold et al, 2006 ; Stephenson, 2006 ; Simpson and Keen, 2011 ; James et al, 2015 ; Fakhoury et al, 2017 ), psychosocial interventions ( Seida et al, 2009 ; Reichow et al, 2013 ; Vanderkerken et al, 2013 ; Bishop-Fitzpatrick et al, 2014 ; Lim, 2019 ), communication training ( Mirenda, 1997 ; Goldstein, 2002 ; Lequia et al, 2012 ; Walker and Snell, 2013 ; Gerow et al, 2018 ; Gregori et al, 2020 ), physical exercises ( Eggermont and Scherder, 2006 ; Ogg-Groenendaal et al, 2014 ; Sorensen and Zarrett, 2014 ; Forbes et al, 2015 ; Bremer et al, 2016 ), and others ( McDonnell et al, 2008 ; Tanner et al, 2015 ; Lindgren et al, 2016 ; Ferguson et al, 2019 ; Walker et al, 2021 ; Wahman et al, 2022 ). Despite the wide av...…”