title: Expressive Incoherence and Alexithymia in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: Expressive incoherence can be implicated in socio-emotional communicative problems in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study examined expressive incoherence in 37 children with ASD and 41 typically developing (TD) children aged 3-13 years old during a frustration task. The role of alexithymia in expressive incoherence was also assessed. Compared to TD children, children with ASD had higher expressive incoherence, such as more neutral and positive emotion expressions during negative behaviors, but not in the expression of negative emotions during positive behaviors. Further analyses revealed that alexithymia moderated the expressions of positive emotions during negative behaviors. These results suggest that children with ASD may benefit from interventions targeting alexithymia to increase emotional coherence, which may improve socio-emotional communication.
authors.affiliation: University of Luxembourg - Maison des Sciences Humaines, 11 Porte des Sciences, 4366, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. andreia.pintocosta@uni.lu.
authors.forename: Andreia P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: University of Luxembourg - Maison des Sciences Humaines, 11 Porte des Sciences, 4366, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steffgen
authors.affiliation: Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, Chemin des Mines 9, 1202, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Samson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D019260:Expressed Emotion / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: Alexithymia; Autism spectrum disorder; Emotional response incoherence; Expressive incoherence