Mothers’ Socialization of Emotions and Theory of Mind and Emotion Regulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

This study compared Belgian and Quebec mothers’ emotional profiles and socialization of the emotions of their children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It explored whether emotion-related reactions and conversations vary depending on children’s or mothers’ factors and culture. It examined the extent to which these maternal practices are linked with and predicted by children’s Theory of Mind (ToM) or emotion regulation. The participants were 52 children from Quebec and 49 from Belgium, matched for age and severity of autism, and their mothers. In questionnaires, mothers reported on their own educational level, emotional openness, reactions to and conversations about emotions, and on their child’s ASD symptoms, personality, ToM and emotion regulation. Independent t-tests showed that Belgian children had weaker emotion regulation than Quebec children, but similar levels in ToM; Belgian mothers were less emotionally open, they displayed less socialization of child’s positive emotions, less problem-focused and encouragement of expression to child’s negative emotions, and conversed less frequently about emotions with their child, than Quebec mothers. Other maternal reactions and the variety of emotional terms used were similar. In the whole sample, positive correlations were obtained between emotional verbs or terms used in conversations and children’s ToM and emotion regulation. Hierarchical regressions showed that reactions to negative emotions, involving minimizing, comforting, focusing on the problem and encouraging expression, partly vary according to maternal emotional openness, educational level and culture; socialization of positive emotions partly varies according to culture and educational level. Three reactions to negative emotions were partially predicted by culture and child’s age, the severity of ASD and ToM. Socialization of positive emotions was partially predicted by child’s age, severity of ASD and emotion regulation. Conversations about emotions varied depending on culture, child’s age and severity of ASD. These conversations were linked positively with supportive reactions to negative and positive emotions.