Associations Between Emotional Competence and Prosocial Behaviors With Peers Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The study included only 20 children with autism and 20 typical children, so the estimates are based on small groups. All children had verbal language and no significant intellectual or language delay, so it does not speak to minimally verbal children or those with intellectual disability. Most emotional competence and coping measures were parent report, and prosocial behavior was also rated by parents, so the findings may not match observed peer interactions. The sample was mostly White, mostly boys, and highly educated, so it may not represent other groups. The study did not include an observational diagnostic measure such as ADOS-2, although diagnoses were confirmed with parent interview. The study measured associations over time, not an intervention, so it cannot show that improving emotion knowledge, coping, or regulation will increase prosocial behavior.

Do not treat these findings as evidence that an emotion knowledge or coping intervention improves peer behavior. The study was observational, included only 40 verbal preschoolers without intellectual disability, and did not test a treatment.