Maternal Emotion Socialization and Child Problem Behaviours in an Autism Spectrum Disorder Population: The Role of the Broad Autism Phenotype and Distress

Background: Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit problem behaviours that interfere with everyday activities. As problem behaviours are so prevalent and impactful, it is important to gain a broader understanding of the possible factors that may increase problem behaviours, as well as buffer against the development of problem behaviours. Emotion socialization has been linked to problem behaviours in typically developing children; however, the association between maternal emotion socialization and child problem behaviours in children with ASD has yet to be sufficiently examined. Furthermore, there is strong evidence to support the notion that mothers of children with ASD experience high levels of distress (stress, anxiety, and depression). In typically developing populations, maternal distress has been associated with parenting behaviours, such as emotion socialization, and problem behaviours in children. On average, approximately 16 to 23% of mothers of children with ASD demonstrate characteristics of the broad autism phenotype (BAP; e.g., Bishop et al., 2004; Sasson et al., 2013; Wheelwright et al., 2010), which includes mild deficits in social interaction and pragmatic language. As these deficits affect basic social communication, it is important to understand whether mothers who demonstrate characteristics of the BAP differ from those without these characteristics during efforts to socialize emotion with their children.

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to explore emotion socialization practices (emotion coaching, supportive reactions, unsupportive reactions, positive expressiveness, and negative expressiveness) and the outcome of child problem behaviours, while taking into account maternal characteristics of the BAP and distress (stress, anxiety, depression, and parenting stress).

Methods: Participants included 57 mothers of children age 6 to 16 years diagnosed with high functioning ASD. Mother’s completed a series of questionnaires relating to emotion socialization, distress, characteristics of the BAP, and child problem behaviours.

Results: Mothers were separated into groups: without BAP status group and with BAP status group. Multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted. The results revealed that emotion socialization practices alone did not predict child problem behaviours. However, with the inclusion of distress as a moderator, the relation between emotion socialization and problem behaviours revealed differences between the BAP groups. That is, in mothers without BAP status, when predicting child problem behaviours, stress moderated emotion coaching, supportive reactions, and positive expressiveness. Anxiety and parenting stress also moderated emotion coaching. In mothers with BAP status, stress and parenting stress moderated the relation between negative expressiveness and child problem behaviours.

Conclusions: The current study highlighted the importance of considering maternal characteristics, such as distress and BAP status, when examining maternal emotion socialization practices and child outcomes within an ASD population. The current study also provides preliminary evidence for the usefulness of the emotion socialization framework within an ASD population, which has implications for both researchers and professionals working with this population.