Emotion dysregulation is one of the challenges that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families face. It is unclear whether emotion dysregulation plays a mediating role in the relationship between sensory processing patterns and problem behaviors among these children. This study examined the relations between emotion…

Distress caused by sensory processing differences for autistic individuals may be reduced by repetitive behaviours (RRB), including repetitive motor (RMB) and insistence on sameness (ISB) behaviours. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety mediate the relationship between sensory processing and RRB in autistic children. We replicated this…

Caregivers of a child with a neurodevelopmental disability are more vulnerable to mental health difficulties. These difficulties are influenced by the child's challenging behaviours, and the caregiver's coping strategies; factors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An online mixed methods survey was conducted on caregivers of children with…

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders often have social-emotional and behavioural difficulties. The present study explored these difficulties in children (n = 50, aged 6-10 years) with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and developmental language disorder. Parents, teachers and therapists evaluated children's…

Emotion knowledge has not been explored in children with cerebral palsy (CP). To evaluate differences in emotion knowledge between children with CP and their typically developing peers (TDP), and explore its associations with affective regulation and behavioral psychopathology. 36 Children with CP and 45 TDP completed the Emotion Matching Task…

The relationship between emotion regulation, social interaction and different types of restricted and repetitive behaviors is poorly understood. In the present study, structural equation modeling based on information about 239 individuals with autism was used to examine whether emotion regulation and social communication were associated with…

Externalizing behaviors in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often either reduced or elevated compared to healthy controls (HCs). This study investigated the moderating role of context in ASD by comparing 32 individuals with ASD to 40 HCs during a social and a non-social provocation task. Compared to HCs, individuals with ASD…

Previous findings show executive functioning advantages associated with dual language learning (DLL) among neurotypical individuals, yet few studies have investigated these effects in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study investigated effects of DLL and socioeconomic status (SES) on parent-reported executive functioning,…

The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), (Schopler et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 10(1):91-103, 1980) is a 15-item observation-based rating scale that yields a total score reflective of autism symptom severity. This study investigated the factor structure of the CARS in a sample of 2-year-old children with DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric…

Although behavioural rigidity belongs to the core symptoms of autism spectrum conditions, little is known about its underlying cognitive mechanisms. The current study investigated the role of intentional control mechanisms in behavioural rigidity in autism. Autistic individuals and their matched controls were instructed to repeatedly choose…

To date, the phenotypic significance of EEG abnormalities in patients with ASD is unclear. In a population affected by ASD we aimed to evaluate: the phenotypic characteristics; the prevalence of EEG abnormalities; the potential correlations between EEG abnormalities and behavioral and cognitive variables. Sixty-nine patients with ASD underwent…

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…

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and behavior interventions have been effective in the management of challenging behavior among children with developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorders. Research suggests the need for valid measurement instruments for verifying, calibrating and scoring competence in FBA and behavior…

Several studies have reported declines in adaptive behavior amongst children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) starting in middle childhood. We examined the effects of maternal responsivity on adaptive behavior in 55 children with FXS visited 5-6 times in their homes from early through middle childhood. Our analyses indicated that sustained maternal…

Little research has examined family emotional climate in the context of having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The goal of the current study was to determine how the emotional quality of family subsystems (parent--child and parent couple relationships, for both mothers and fathers) combine to create various classes of family emotional…