Associations between child characteristics and parent response to emotion differ in young children with and without an autism diagnosis.

ABSTRACT: This study examined how parents of children with and without an autism diagnosis respond to their children's negative emotions. Specifically, we (1) compared levels of supportive, non-supportive, and distress reactions; (2) tested whether child characteristics (autism traits and emotion dysregulation) predicted parent responses; and (3) explored whether autism diagnosis moderated these associations. Participants were 1780 parents of 2- to 5-year-old children from the United States (812 with an autism diagnosis). Parents completed the Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale and reported on children's autism traits and emotion dysregulation. Results indicated that parents of autistic children reported slightly more supportive and less non-supportive and distress responses than parents

SUBMITTER: Northrup JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12752666 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature