UCLA

Background: Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for challenges with their emotion regulation abilities, and often have dysregulating behaviors. For young children who exhibit dysregulation, this might also impact their ability to jointly engage with others. This study aims to examine the relationship between dysregulation (challenges with ER) and joint engagement within the context of a free play interaction between toddlers with ASD and their caregivers.Methods: Participants include 149 children with ASD (M age 21 months) and their caregivers prior to intervention (baseline). Bivariate correlations and regression analyses were conducted to explore the relations between dysregulation, joint engagement, and caregiver strategies. Results: Of the 149 children included in this study, 122 (82%) demonstrated at least one episode of dysregulation (lasting over three seconds) within the caregiver interaction, and 50% of those behaviors were deemed intense. Child dysregulation is significantly, and negatively, related to time spent jointly engaged with their caregiver (r(148)=-.260, p=.001). Caregivers increased use of active strategies (e.g., redirection) and avoidant strategies are related to increased child dysregulation (active strategies: r(147)=.260, p=.001; avoidant strategies: r(147)=.196, p=.017). In contrast, caregivers’ use of developmentally appropriate engagement and regulation strategies (JASPER Caregiver Strategies) is predictive of less time dysregulated (F(4,143)=7.618, p<.001, R2=.146). Higher JASPER caregiver strategies are associated with less time unengaged (r(148)=-.246, p=.003). A significant moderation effect of JASPER caregiver strategies on the relation between dysregulation and time unengaged was found, F(5,114)=9.712, p=<.001, R2=.299. The moderation results suggest that caregiver strategies impact the relationship between dysregulation and time unengaged. Conclusion: Toddlers with ASD often exhibit dysregulation behaviors, which are associated with time spent engaged with their caregivers. Caregivers’ use of active and avoidant co-regulation strategies was associated with the time children spent exhibiting dysregulation, suggesting that as the duration of dysregulation behaviors increased, caregiver’s use of these strategies also increased (or vice versa). In contrast, the use of developmentally appropriate strategies related to engagement and regulation (JASPER strategies) predicted less time spent in dysregulation. Additionally, the JASPER caregiver strategy overall score is linked to reduced time unengaged. Finally, results suggest that JASPER caregiver strategies (but not co-regulation strategies) impact (i.e., significantly moderate) the relationship between dysregulation and time unengaged. Future research should continue to explore the mechanisms through which caregiver strategies impact child outcomes and investigate the moderating role of caregiver strategies in the relationship between dysregulation and joint engagement over time.