Emotions and Emotional Dysregulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Preliminary Study

Emotion is a signal that there has been a change in the subjectively perceived state of the internal or external world, which is accompanied by a physiological response (external: impulse to action, or internal: mood altera-tion), each of which is expressed through a different configuration and designates different emotional responses (joy, sadness, fear, etc.; but also anger, rage, aggression, etc.). Moreover, emotions possess a strongly contextual-ised and specific social dimension that depends on the situation and interpersonal relations: the specific meaning is determined by the subjective and intersubjective evaluation that is attributed to the emotional event. These general considerations suggest both the importance of emotional experience in the course of development, its significance in the organisation of affective relations and its functional value as an adaptation (defence, offence, approach or control) capable of maintaining or modifying the individual's relations with his (physical and social) environment. What happens when emotions are particularly intense and dysfunctional? Several studies have found that more than 60 per cent of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit problematic emotional behaviour such as irritability, outbursts of anger, self- and hetero-aggressiveness, etc. In addition, these people experience high levels of anxiety and increased negative emotions, which can contribute to intensified feelings of distress and have a negative impact on daily functioning and quality of life. Controlling these negative emotions through self-regulation can prevent these behavioural problems.