Cognitive, Behavioural and Communication Correlates of Dysregulation in Australian Autistic Preschoolers

This study investigated whether cognitive, behavioural, and communication differences are associated with emotional dysregulation among preschool-aged autistic children in Australia.

Secondary data analysis was undertaken in a sample of autistic preschool children as part of the Autism Subtyping Project, receiving early intensive intervention in six Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centres (ASELCCs) across the six states in Australia. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine associations between sociodemographic factors, autistic traits (adjusted for sociodemographic covariates), and their dysregulation profile. Further, multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to determine whether dysregulation profile was a significant predictor of changes in autistic traits following intervention.

Among the sample of 415 children, 43% (n = 180) of the sample were classified as having a dysregulation profile (DP). Findings from the regression analyses showed that children with higher social communication (AOR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.17) and repetitive behavioural (AOR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.12) differences at baseline were associated with higher odds of having a DP. Key sociodemographic covariates including older age was associated with higher odds of having a DP whereas being from a culturally and linguistically diverse background and having a higher annual family income had protective effect on DP. Further, DP scores at baseline were not predictive of changes in social communication, repetitive behaviours, or cognitive functioning following receipt of EII.

The study findings suggest screening for DP among autistic preschool children may lead to early identification and intervention of a discrete pattern of behavioural difficulties.