Emotion Control Predicts Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Boys With and Without an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Marieke G N Bos, Sofia Diamantopoulou, Lex Stockmann, Sander Begeer, Carolien Rieffe, Marieke G N Bos, Sofia Diamantopoulou, Lex Stockmann, Sander Begeer, Carolien Rieffe

Abstract

Children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often show comorbid emotional and behavior problems. The aim of this longitudinal study is to examine the relation between emotion control (i.e., negative emotionality, emotion awareness, and worry/rumination) and the development of internalizing and externalizing problems. Boys with and without ASD (N = 157; age 9-15) were followed over a period of 1.5 years (3 waves). We found that baseline levels of worry/rumination was a specific predictor of later externalizing problems for boys with ASD. Furthermore, the developmental trajectory of worry/rumination predicted the development of internalizing and externalizing problems in both groups. Our findings suggest that worry/rumination may constitute a transdiagnostic factor underlying both internalizing and externalizing problems in boys with and without ASD.

Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD); Comorbid psychopathology; Emotion regulation; Emotional control; Longitudinal study.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Longitudinal graphic representation of age at three time points and respectively internalizing and externalizing symptoms. a, c, e, g Participants are represented by individual lines. Participants measured only once are represented by points. b, d, f, h Predicted values for respectively internalizing, externalizing symptoms based on optimal fitting model
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Longitudinal graphic representation of the interaction between emotion control and group on somatic complaints. a Change in worry/rumination over time predicts the developmental trajectory of somatic complaints in children and adolescents with ASD. b Change in negative emotionality over time predicts the trajectory of somatic complaints in both groups, but stronger for children and adolescents with a TD development. The graphs represent the single relation between one emotion control index and somatic complaints, without controlling for other variables that were included in the mixed model

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