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Evaluation ViewAttendees 8

Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders
Symposia

Symposium 35 - Impact and Treatment of Emotion Dysregulation in Autistic People Across the Lifespan

Friday, November 15, 2024
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM EST
Location: Grand Ballroom I/J, Level 5, Downtown Marriott
CE: 1.5

Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Emotion Regulation, Transdiagnostic
Level of Familiarity: Moderate to advanced
Recommended Readings: James J. Gross (2015) Emotion Regulation: Current Status and Future Prospects, Psychological Inquiry, 26:1, 1-26, DOI: 10.1080/1047840X.2014.940781,   Mazefsky, C. A., & White, S. W. (2014). Emotion regulation: concepts & practice in autism spectrum disorder. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 23(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2013.07.002,   Dell'Osso, L., Massoni, L., Battaglini, S., De Felice, C., Nardi, B., Amatori, G., Cremone, I. M., & Carpita, B. (2023). Emotional dysregulation as a part of the autism spectrum continuum: a literature review from late childhood to adulthood. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1234518. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1234518,   Conner, C. M., Golt, J., Shaffer, R., Righi, G., Siegel, M., & Mazefsky, C. A. (2021). Emotion Dysregulation is Substantially Elevated in Autism Compared to the General Population: Impact on Psychiatric Services. Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 14(1), 169–181. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2450,  

Emotion dysregulation (ED) is described as difficulty modulating one’s emotional and behavioral reactions in response to environmental triggers (Gross, 2009). ED has been identified as a transdiagnostic construct contributing to the development and maintenance of multiple mental health conditions (Lincoln et al., 2022). A recent meta-analysis suggests that ED is significantly more severe in autistic people compared to neurotypical and other clinical populations (McDonald et al., under revision). Despite this, compared to other clinical populations with ED, autistic people with severe ED profiles are less likely to receive mental health treatment (Vasa et al., 2020).

Recent work in CBT with both autistic and non-autistic people has begun to focus on transdiagnostic mechanisms and their implications in treating multiple mental health conditions (Insel et al., 2010; Dell’Osso et al., 2023). Consistent with this year’s Convention theme, “Inspiring Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Innovation to Advance CBT,” this symposium will highlight ED as a transdiagnostic mechanism in autistic people and provide innovative treatment options for autistic people across the lifespan. Specifically, this symposium will provide insight into the rates and predictive relationships of ED on mental health conditions in autism across the lifespan, from toddlers through adulthood. In addition, this symposium will provide information about cutting edge treatment approaches for ED in autistic people.

To establish a clear link between a broad range of mental health conditions and ED in autistic youth, the first presentation will use modelling approaches to examine the relationship between profiles of ED (e.g., dysphoria and reactivity) and various mental health conditions in children and adolescents (Rachel McDonald, MPS, MA). The second presentation will examine how ED changes in response to naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions in toddlers and preschoolers (Elizabeth Kushner). The third presentation examines the impact of a newly developed treatment for ED, Emotion Awareness and Skills Enhancement, in adolescents and young adults (Caitlyn Conner, PhD). The final presentation examines the impact of Group Behavioral Activation Treatment, a transdiagnostic treatment approach, on mental health and emotion regulation skills in autistic adults (Erin Libsack, PhD). The Discussant (Amy Keefer, PhD), an expert in both autism and specialized interventions for autistic people, will provide integrative insight cutting across age groups, highlighting the role of ED in autistic people and current treatment approaches.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate emotion dysregulation (ED) as a transdiagnostic factor of mental health across development in autistic people
  2. Describe data and evidence from cutting-edge research on ED specific to autistic people
  3. Discuss various aspects of ED as underlying mechanisms predicting mental health challenges.
  4. Integrate findings across studies for addressing various challenges related to ED informing clinical practice
  5. Identifying ED as a transdiagnostic treatment target that will improve the well-being of patients.

Presentations:

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM EST
    (SYM 35) Impacts of Emotion Dysregulation on Multiple Mental Health Disorders in Autistic Youth

    Speaker: Rachel G. McDonald, M.A. (she/her/hers) – Montclair State University

    Co-author: Tamara E Rosen, PhD (she/her/hers) – Drexel University

    Co-author: Erin Kang, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Montclair State University

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM EST
    (SYM 35) Emotional Dysregulation in NDBI for Young Autistic Children: Prevalence, Outcomes, and Effects on Implementation

    Speaker: Elizabeth Kushner, M.A. (she/her/hers) – Emory University

    Co-author: Elizabeth Kushner, M.A. (she/her/hers) – Emory University

    Co-author: Chloe B. Holbrook, Ph.D. – Emory University School of Medicine

    Co-author: Nicole Hendrix, Ph.D. – Emory University School of Medicine

    Co-author: Katherine Pickard, Ph.D. – Emory University School of Medicine

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM EST
    (SYM 35) Improving Emotion Dysregulation in Autistic Adolescents and Young Adults with a Mindfulness-based Intervention: The Emotion Awareness and Skills Enhancement (EASE) Program

    Speaker: Caitlin M. Conner, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

    Co-author: Kelly B. Beck, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – University of Pittsburgh

    Co-author: Susan White, ABPP, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – The University of Alabama

    Co-author: Carla Mazefsky, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM EST
    (SYM 35) Impact of a Transdiagnostic Group Behavioral Activation Treatment (GBAT) on Emotion Regulation Among Autistic Adults

    Speaker: Erin J. Libsack, M.A. (she/her/hers) – Rutgers University

    Co-author: Gentiana Kukaj, B.A. (she/her/hers) – Rutgers University

    Co-author: Emily Brennan, B.A. – Rutgers University

    Co-author: Eden Keinan, M.A. (she/her/hers) – Rutgers University

    Co-author: Jun Hong Chen, Psy.D. (he/him/his) – Rutgers University

    Co-author: Lauren Pepa, Ph.D., BCBA (she/her/hers) – Rutgers University

    Co-author: Vanessa H. Bal, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Rutgers University

    Co-author: Brian C. Chu, Ph.D. – Rutgers University