Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41366290›Full record

SynthesisJournal of neurodevelopmental disorders2025

Emotion regulation in autistic adolescents: a mixed methods systematic review.

Jan Micheel, Holger Zapf, Sarah Hohmann, Carola Bindt, Johannes Boettcher

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jan MicheelDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-9263-6240
Holger ZapfDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2398-5220
Sarah HohmannDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.
Carola BindtDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.
Johannes BoettcherDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany. j.boettcher@uke.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9250-2494

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEmotion regulation (ER) difficulties are common in autistic individuals and may contribute to co-occurring psychopathology during adolescence. However, age-group heterogeneity in existing research limits understanding of ER processes in autistic adolescents. Therefore, this mixed methods systematic review synthesizes current knowledge on ER in autistic adolescents aged 10-24 years.

methodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus for empirical studies on ER in autistic adolescents. 32 studies (including two qualitative) met inclusion criteria and were synthesized using a convergent integrated approach.

resultsAutistic adolescents consistently exhibited more ER difficulties than non-autistic peers, which were associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Greater autism symptom severity, lower theory of mind, and social challenges were frequently linked to lower ER, while no consistent associations with age, gender, or IQ were found. Few studies examined physiological or neurobiological factors, but evidence suggested associations between ER difficulties, lower heart rate variability, and atypical neural responses. Cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based interventions generally led to improvements in ER, though results varied and discrepancies between self- and proxy-reports were common.

conclusionER challenges are pronounced in autistic adolescents and are closely associated with mental health symptoms. While interventions show promise, future research should address measurement heterogeneity, examine neurobiological underpinnings, and include more longitudinal and ecologically valid designs.

trial registrationCRD42024529184 (registered April 06, 2024).

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderAutistic DisorderEmotional RegulationAdolescentChildHumansYoung AdultAdolescentsAutismEmotion regulationSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41366290
PMCPMC12801607

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.