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

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2727-2739
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Volume48
Issue number8
Early online date6 Mar 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2018

Keywords

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
  • Comorbid psychopathology
  • Emotion regulation
  • Emotional control
  • Longitudinal study

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