title: Emotion Dysregulation and Anxiety in Adults with ASD: Does Social Motivation Play a Role?
abstract: Young adults with ASD and no intellectual impairment are more likely to exhibit clinical levels of anxiety than typically developing peers (DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, 2013). This study tests a mechanistic model in which anxiety culminates via emotion dysregulation and social motivation. Adults with ASD (49 males, 20 females) completed self-report measures on emotion regulation, caregivers completed measures on ASD severity and both on social anxiety. Results indicated that emotion dysregulation (p < .001; p < .05) and social motivation (p < .05, p < .001) significantly predicted social anxiety as reported by caregivers and young adults respectively. However, social motivation did not appear to play a moderating role in the relationship between emotion regulation and anxiety, even when controlling for social awareness. Significant predictor variables of social anxiety varied based on reporter (i.e. caregiver versus young adult), with difficulty engaging in goal-directed behaviors during negative emotions serving as the only shared predictor.
authors: Department of Psychology (MC 0436), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 109 Williams Hall, Virginia Tech, 890 Drillfield Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. swaindm@vt.edu.
authors: Deanna
authors: D
authors: Swain
authors: Department of Psychology (MC 0436), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 109 Williams Hall, Virginia Tech, 890 Drillfield Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Scarpa
authors: Department of Psychology (MC 0436), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 109 Williams Hall, Virginia Tech, 890 Drillfield Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: White
authors: University of California in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Laugeson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D000067074:Peer Influence; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Adults; Autism spectrum disorder; Emotion dysregulation; Social anxiety; Social motivation