Factors associated with emotion regulation in young autistic children: a scoping review

Numerous autistic children experience difficulties in emotion regulation (ER). Previous studies have not employed the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-Child and Youth Edition (ICF-CY) model to synthesize ER and its associated factors in young autistic children. The ICF-CY provides a complete picture of the impact of difficulties with ER. This review examined the previous studies, synthesized the various factors related to ER in this population, and categorized them using the ICF-CY model. The study also identifies the domains lacking in relation to young autistic children's ER. Fourteen studies met all the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Most studies focused on parents’ coregulation of ER. However, few studies investigated the factors related to participation, parent and children's quality of life, and well-being. This review highlighted the pressing need to conduct further studies focusing on factors related to ER, especially participation, well-being, family function, and quality of life. It is essential to elucidate these factors with ER for an in-depth investigation to understand better the critical process in the development of ER in young autistic childrenwith autism spectrum disorder.