Characteristics and Interventions of Negative Emotion Regulation in Children with Autism: Mindfulness and Cognitive Strategy Training Based on Multimodal Assessment

Abstract:
Effective regulation of negative emotions is essential for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to adapt successfully to social environments. However, prior research has predominantly focused on emotion recognition and comprehension, with limited attention to the specific characteristics of emotion regulation in ASD children and targeted intervention strategies. To bridge this gap, the present study adopted a multimodal assessment framework, integrating self-report measures, behavioral observations, and physiological recordings in both laboratory and real-life contexts. This comprehensive approach enabled an in-depth examination of emotion regulation characteristics in ASD children and evaluated the efficacy of mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral strategies in improving their regulatory abilities.
Study 1 involved children with ASD (n = 23) and typically developing (TD) children (n = 22) who participated in a frustration-inducing task, during which their coping strategies and physiological responses were recorded. Parents also completed questionnaires assessing their children’s daily emotion regulation abilities. Building on these insights, Study 2 developed an integrated intervention program combining mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral strategies. A 2×2 experimental design (intervention vs. control group; pre- vs. post-test) was implemented, with the intervention group receiving an eight-week program comprising two 60-minute sessions per week in small groups of two to three children.
Results from Study 1 revealed pronounced emotion regulation difficulties in ASD children across multiple domains: (1) Behavioral observations indicated a reliance on maladaptive coping strategies and infrequent use of constructive approaches for managing negative emotions; (2) Physiological indicators showed elevated arousal, greater emotional volatility, and slower recovery rates in response to negative stimuli; (3) Questionnaire data highlighted poorer overall emotion regulation, more frequent negative emotions, and less stable emotional states compared to TD children. In Study 2, post-intervention assessments demonstrated significant increases in constructive emotion regulation strategies and reductions in maladaptive ones during laboratory tasks among ASD children. Additionally, self-reported emotion regulation abilities and daily emotional stability improved markedly.
By employing multimodal assessments across laboratory and ecological settings, this study provides a holistic portrayal of emotion regulation in ASD children, addressing the full regulatory process and filling key gaps in the literature. It offers theoretical insights into ASD-related emotion regulation challenges and lays the groundwork for personalized interventions. Innovatively, the study develops and validates an integrated program merging mindfulness techniques with cognitive-behavioral strategies, which not only bolsters emotional management skills in ASD children—enhancing their social interactions and quality of life—but also equips educators, therapists, and parents with evidence-based tools to foster comprehensive development and behavioral optimization.