Review and Developmental Model: Early Childhood Emotion Regulation and Co-Regulation in Autism

Emotion regulation (ER) and dysregulation (ED) significantly impact the mental health and quality of life of autistic individuals and their families, yet little is known about ER development in early childhood autism. This paper proposes a developmental model of disruptions to early ER development, emphasizing parent-child co-regulation, to guide future research and clinical care. Empirical research on ER, ED, and parent-child co-regulation in young autistic children (mean age < 6 years) was summarized. Insights from theoretical and empirical work on typical ER development, with a focus on parent-child co-regulation, were integrated with autism research to propose a novel developmental model. Research on ER and ED in young autistic children remains limited and lacks a developmental framework. Parent-child co-regulation is identified as a key mechanism in ER development, operating across micro (moment-by-moment) and macro (long-term) time scales. Autism-specific challenges, such as pervasive and idiosyncratic triggers, reduced emotional awareness, and ambiguous emotional communication, can disrupt parent-child co-regulation. These disruptions reduce opportunities for teaching and internalizing effective ER strategies and can lead parents and children to rely on "quick fix" strategies (e.g., avoidance), ultimately hindering long-term ER development and negatively impacting mental health. Understanding disruptions to ER development in autism within parent-child interactions offers a framework for research and clinical care. Developing autism-specific measurement tools and employing longitudinal, ecological, and "measurement burst" designs will be critical to uncovering disrupted dyadic processes. Future research and clinical efforts must address the unique experiences and needs of autistic children and their families.