Irritability is an impairing problem in children with ASD that may be associated with other behavioral and emotional concerns. The Affective Reactivity Index (ARI) is a parent-rated measure of irritability widely used in children with mood disorders, however, its utility in children with ASD remains unclear. In this study, we examined ARI parent…

The aim of this study was to explore the associations between temperamental reactivity and regulation and the emergence of anxiety traits in a longitudinal sample of infants enriched for later ASD. Parents of 143 infants who were at high- and low-risk for ASD rated their child's temperament traits when they were 9, 15 and 24 months old; they rated…

The social symptoms of autism spectrum disorder are likely influenced by multiple psychological processes, yet most previous studies have focused on a single social domain. In school-aged autistic children (n = 49), we compared the amount of variance in social symptoms uniquely explained by theory of mind (ToM), biological motion perception,…

Reduced eye fixation has been commonly reported in autistic samples but may be at least partially explained by alexithymia (i.e., difficulty understanding and describing one's emotional state). Because anxiety is often elevated in autism, and emotion-processing differences have also been observed in anxious samples, anxiety traits may also…

The present study investigated how the eye contact perception of ingroup and outgroup faces by Japanese adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder differed from that of age-, sex-, and IQ-matched typically developing individuals. The autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals were equally likely to perceive subtly…

High alexithymic traits and psychiatric comorbidities such as depression and social phobia are frequently observed among adults with autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we tested whether alexithymic and/or autistic traits are risk factors for depressive and social phobic symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder (n = 122), patients…

Emotion regulation has been proposed to be a transdiagnostic factor in the development and maintenance of psychopathology in the general population, yet the nature of the relationships between emotion regulation strategy use and psychological well-being has not been comprehensively explored in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The…

The aim of this study was to examine the inter-relationship between emotion regulation (ER), intolerance of uncertainty (IU), and symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sixty-one individuals aged 14-24 years (M[subscript age] = 18.19; SD[subscript age] = 2.19) completed the…

Anxiety is a common co-occurring condition in autism and impacts quality of life of autistic individuals and their families; autistic individuals who speak few or no words represent an under-researched group. This qualitative study aimed to understand more about parental recognition and management of anxiety in autistic individuals who speak few…

Research using mind-body practices in autism is limited but suggests a trend for ruminative reduction and improved behavioral-emotional outcomes. Following random assignment (N = 67), effects of a weekly six-session pilot yoga-based group program combined with third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy elements on self-regulation for children on the…

Difficulties with emotion regulation are common in children with autism. Although interventions targeting emotion regulation show promise, children's individual treatment responses vary, and it is important to understand the factors that contribute to treatment change. The present study aimed to identify pre-treatment child characteristics and…

Mental imagery has been implicated in anxiety disorders in adults, but has not been investigated in child and adolescent populations. Anxiety is highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and as people with ASD are often thought of as "visual thinkers," the potential role of distressing imagery in children with ASD merits…

While research regarding emotion recognition in ASD has focused primarily on social cues, musical stimuli also elicit strong emotional responses. This study extends and expands the few previous studies of response to music in ASD, measuring both psychophysiological and behavioral responses in younger children (ages 8-11) as well as older…

Caring for a child that has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has implications for parents' social and emotional health and well-being. The following article presents the findings from a review of the literature to help elucidate some of the issues that these parents experience. The article begins by arguing that early intervention is the key to…

Extensive research has shown elevated mental health difficulties among parents of children with autism compared to other parents. Although several studies have explored factors related to mental health among parents of children with autism, the factors that influence and promote well-being remain poorly characterised. Parents of young, newly…