The broad autism phenotype and emotion regulation: The mediating role of autobiographical memory specificity

The broad autism phenotype (BAP) refers to subclinical traits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including language and personality differences, that are present among biological relatives of individuals with ASD and the general population. BAP traits are associated with emotional impairments, and there is a need to examine (1) how BAP traits relate to emotion regulation (ER), a key transdiagnostic factor that relates to a broad range of psychopathology and is central to ASD, and (2) mediators of this association. Reduced autobiographical memory specificity (AMS) is an avoidant cognitive style referring to difficulties retrieving specific memories that is disrupted in ASD and predicts a range of internalizing symptoms related to ER. The current study examines how BAP traits relate to ER, and whether AMS mediates these associations, among a sample of 108 emerging adult siblings of individuals with ASD who had not been diagnosed with ASD themselves. Participants completed standardized measures of BAP (Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire), ER (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale), and AMS (computerized AMT). BAP factors demonstrated differential patterns of relations with ER. Aloofness negatively predicted AMS, and positive and negative AMS differentially mediated the effect of aloofness on ER. Limitations and future directions are discussed.