Dynamics of Mothers’ Emotion Regulation in Handling Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
![](http://journal.ubaya.ac.id/public/journals/graph-ico.png)
![](http://journal.ubaya.ac.id/public/journals/pdf-ico.png)
Abstract
This study aims to understand the dynamics of mothers’ emotion regulation in handling meltdowns or tantrums in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The dynamic includes the emotional regulation process, the methods for handling children’s meltdowns and tantrums, as well as the contributing factors. This study is a qualitative research, which data was collected through interviews with three study participants. Study results show that study participants utilize the five models of emotion regulation developed by Gross (2007), namely: (1) situation selection; (2) situation modification; (3) attention deployment; (4) cognitive change; and (5) response modulation. In this study, one of the findings was related to how the mothers’ condition can affect the way mothers regulate emotions. When the study participants are in a conducive condition, cognitive change tend to be prioritized before response modulation, and vice versa. Factors that affect mothers’ emotional regulation in handling meltdowns or tantrums are: (1) personal health; (2) personality; (3) mood; (4) busyness; (5) aspirations; and (6) interactions with other family members at home.
Downloads
References
Ahmad, E. S. N. (2020). The challenges faced by the parents of autistic children in Jordan. Journal of Education and Practice, 11(28), 74-82. https://doi.org/10.7176/JEP/11-28-09
Alfazri, U. K. (2019). Identifikasi perilaku tantrum dan sensory meltdown anak autis berdasarkan behavioral assessment di SLB Autisma Dian Amanah [Identification of tantrum behavior and sensory meltdown on autistic children based on behavioral assessment in SLB Autisma Dian Amanah]. Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa Widia Ortodidaktika, 8(9), 971-982. https://journal.student.uny.ac.id/ojs/index.php/plb/article/view/16179
Alibekova, R., Kai Chan, C., Crape, B., Kadyrzhanuly, K., Gusmanov, A., An, S., Bulekbayeva, S., Akhmetzhanova, Z., Ainabekova, A., Yerubayev, Z., Yessimkulova, F., Bekisheva, A., Ospanova, Z., Rakhimova, M. (2022). Stress, anxiety and depression in parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in Kazakhstan: Prevalence and associated factors. Global Mental Health, 9, 472-482. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2022.51
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/research-design/book270550
Desiningrum, D. R., Suminar, D. R., Surjaningrum, E. R., Suryanto, & Hendriani, W. (2021). Husband’s social support for mother of children with autism spectrum disorder. The Family Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10664807211005086
Di Renzo, M., Guerriero, V., Petrillo, M., & Bianchi di Castelbianco, F. (2022). What is parental stress connected to in families of children with autism spectrum disorder? Implications for parents’ interventions. Journal of Family Issues, 43(9), 2456-2479. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X211030735
Dolcos, F., Hohl, K., Hu, Y., Dolcos, S. (2021). Religiosity and resilience: Cognitive reappraisal and coping self-efficacy mediate the link between religious coping and well-being. Journal of Religion and Health, 60, 2892-2905. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01160-y
Faraji-Khiavi, F., Zahiri, M., Amiri, E., Dindamal, B., Pirani, N. (2021). The experiences of families raising autistic children: A phenomenological study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 10(1): 78. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_837_20
Fikriyyah, S., Adriani, R. B., & Murti, B. (2018). What are the factors that affect the risk of parenting stress in mothers with disability children? A new evidence from Sukoharjo, Central Java. Journal of Maternal and Child Health, 3(2),156-165. https://doi.org/10.26911/thejmch.2018.03.02.08 | https://thejmch.com/index.php/thejmch/article/view/96
Frech, A., & Damaske, S. (2012). The relationships between mothers’ work pathways and physical and mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 53(4), 396-412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146512453929
Gross, J. J. (Ed.) (2007). Handbook of emotion regulation. The Guildford Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-01392-000 | https://www.guilford.com/books/Handbook-of-Emotion-Regulation/Gross-Ford/9781462549412
Hartley, S. L., Barker, E. T., Seltzer, M. M., Greenberg, J. S., & Floyd, F. J. (2011). Marital satisfaction and parenting experiences of mothers and fathers of adolescents and adults with autism. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AJIDD), 116(1), 81-95. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-116.1.81
Hartley, S. L., Barker, E. T., Baker, J. K., Seltzer, M. M., & Greenberg, J. S. (2012). Marital satisfaction and life circumstances of grown children with autism across 7 years. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(5), 688-697. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029354
Hartley, S. L., & Schultz, H. M. (2015). Support needs of fathers and mothers of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder, 45(6), 1636-1648. https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10803-014-2318-0
Havighurst, S., & Kehoe, C. (2017). The role of parental emotion regulation in parent emotion socialization: Implications for intervention. In K. Deater-Deckard, & R. Panneton (Eds.), Parental stress and early child development (pp. 285-307). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55376-4_12
Iswinarti, I., Jadmiko, G. T., & Hasanati, N. (2020). Cognitive emotion regulation: Its relationship to parenting stress. Journal of Social Studies Education Research (JSSER), 11(2), 204-222. https://jsser.org/index.php/jsser/article/view/2261
Jeihan, I. (2015). Efektivitas pelatihan ketrampilan regulasi emosi terhadap peningkatan psychological well-being pada ibu yang memiliki anak autis di SLB Alamanda Surakarta [The effectiveness of emotion regulation training in increasing psychological well-being of mothers with autistic children in SLB Alamanda Surakarta] [Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Sebelas Maret]. Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Institutional Repository. https://digilib.uns.ac.id/dokumen/detail/47905/Efektivitas-Pelatihan-Ketrampilan-Regulasi-Emosi-terhadap-Peningkatan-Psychological-Well-Beingpada-Ibu-yang-Memiliki-Anak-Autis-di-SLB-Alamanda-Surakarta
Kanne, S. M., & Mazurek, M. O. (2011). Aggression in children and adolescents with ASD: Prevalence and risk factors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41, 926-937. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1118-4
Karuppannan, A., Ramamoorthy, A. K., Ananathakrishnan, P., & Swaminathan, A. (2022). Parenting stress and coping strategies of mothers with autism spectrum disorder in Chennai district - A descriptive cross-sectional study. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 10(2), 868-876. https://doi.org/10.25215/1002.088 | https://ijip.in/articles/parenting-stress-and-coping-strategies-of-mothers-with-autism-spectrum-disorder-in-chennai-district-a-descriptive-cross-sectional-study/
Lagunes-Córdoba, E., Yoldi-Negrete, M., Hewson, T., Guízar-Sánchez, D., Robles-García, R., Tovilla-Zárate, C. A., Tracy, D., Saracco-Alvarez, R. A., & Fresán, A. (2022). A better way of life: The role of leisure activities on self-perceived health, perceived stress, confidence in stress management, and satisfaction with social support in psychiatrists and psychiatry trainees in Mexico. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13: 1052275. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1052275
Laine-Toner, K. (2023). Where do I start? How to navigate the emotional journey of autism parenting. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. https://uk.jkp.com/products/where-do-i-start?_pos=1&_sid=0a3efaea6&_ss=r
Laslo-Roth, R., George-Levi, S., & Ben-Yaakov, L. (2023). Support me in the good times too: Interpersonal emotion regulation, perceived social support, and loneliness among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(1), 55-75. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221113031
Lewis, L. F., & Stevens, K. (2023). The lived experience of meltdowns for autistic adults. Autism, 27(6), 1817-1825. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221145783
Maskey, M., Warnell, F., Parr, J. R., Le Couteur, A., & McConachie, H. (2013). Emotional and behavioural problems in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(4), 851-859. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1622-9
McRae, K., & Gross, J. J. (2020). Emotion regulation. Emotion, 20(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000703
Megreya, A. M., Al-Attiyah, A. A., Moustafa, A. A., & Hassanein, E. E. A. (2020). Cognitive emotion regulation strategies, anxiety, and depression in mothers of children with or without neurodevelopmental disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 76: 101600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101600
Muchlisa, N., & Helda. (2020). Coping strategies used by mothers in children with autism. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, 11(3), 2238-2242. https://doi.org/10.37506/ijphrd.v11i3.2626 | https://medicopublication.com/index.php/ijphrd/article/view/2626
Neece, C. L., Green, S. A., & Baker, B. L. (2012). Parenting stress and child behavior problems: A transactional relationship across time. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AJIDD), 117(1), 48-66. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-117.1.48
Papadopoulos, D. (2021). Mothers’ experiences and challenges raising a child with autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative study. Brain Sciences, 11(3): 309. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11030309
Picardi, A., Gigantesco, A., Tarolla, E., Stoppioni, V., Cerbo, R., Cremonte, M., Alessandri, G., Lega, I., & Nardocci, F. (2018). Parental burden and its correlates in families of children with autism spectrum disorder: A multicentre study with two comparison groups. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 14(1), 143-176. https://doi.org/10.2174/1745017901814010143
Pocinho, M., & Fernandes, L. (2018). Depression, stress and anxiety among parents of sons with disabilities. The Psychologist: Practice & Research Journal, 1(1): 103. https://doi.org/10.33525/pprj.v1i1.29
Powell, T. (2021). Recognising autism and Asperger’s Syndrome: A practical guide to adult diagnosis and beyond (2nd ed.). Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367854904
Punter, D., & Chaney, C. (2022). Parenting rewired: How to raise a happy child autistic child in a very neurotypical world. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. https://uk.jkp.com/products/parenting-rewired?_pos=1&_sid=03c75d357&_ss=r
Quetsch, L. B., Brown, C., Onovbiona, H., Bradley, R., Aloia, L., & Kanne, S. (2023). Understanding aggression in autism across childhood: Comparisons with a non-autistic sample. Autism Research, 16(6), 1185-1198. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2930
Rahmadani, Z. (2021). Komunikasi antarpribadi orang tua dengan anak penderita autis dalam mengatasi tantrum pada anak autis (Studi pada Komunitas Peduli Autis Lampung (KOPALA)) [Interpersonal communication between parents and children with autism in handling tantrums on autistic children (Study in Komunitas Peduli Autis Lampung (KOPALA))] [Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Lampung]. Digital Repository Universitas Lampung (UNILA). https://digilib.unila.ac.id/67744/
Ramdhani, N. (2012). Adaptasi bahasa dan budaya Inventori Big Five [Lingual and cultural adaptation of the Big Five Inventori]. Jurnal Psikologi, 39(2), 189-205, https://doi.org/10.22146/jpsi.6986 | https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jpsi/article/view/6986
Rfat, M., Koçak, O., & Uzun, B. (2023). Parenting challenges in families of children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative research study in Istanbul. Global Social Welfare. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-023-00270-1
Rif’ati, M. I., & Suryanto. (2018). Pola regulasi emosi orang tua dengan anak temper tantrum [Emotion regulation patterns of parents with temper tantrum children]. Proceedings of Temu Ilmiah Nasional Ikatan Psikologi Sosial 2018 Conference Call for Paper (2-3) November 2018, Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya.
Roffeei, S. H. M., Abdullah, N., & Basar, S. K. R. (2015). Seeking social support on Facebook for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). International Journal of Medical Informatics, 84(5), 375-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.01.015
Sim, A., Vaz, S., Cordier, R., Joosten, A., Parsons, D., Smith, C., & Falkmer, T. (2018). Factors associated with stress in families of children with autism spectrum disorder. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 21(3), 155-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518423.2017.1326185
Sisterhen, L. L., & Wy, P. A. W. (2023). Temper tantrums. StatPearls [Internet] - Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544286/ | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31335006/
Sudimac, S., Sale, V., & Kühn, S. (2022). How nature nurtures: Amygdala activity decreases as the result of a one-hour walk in nature. Molecular Psychiatry, 27, 4446-4452. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01720-6
Tathgur, M. K., & Kang, H. K. (2021). Challenges of the caregivers in managing a child with autism spectrum disorder - A qualitative analysis. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 43(5), 416-421. https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176211000769
Vega, A. D., Utami, W. S., & Hartini, J. (2022). The role of parents in managing the behavior of temper tantrum early childhood. International Journal of Sumatran Islamic Studies, 1(4), 49-60.
Yalim, T., & Mohamed, S. (2023). Meltdown in autism: Challenges and support needed for parents of children with autism. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 12(1), 850-876. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v12-i1/16184
Yumpi-R., F. (2016). Peran orangtua pada regulasi emosi anak autis [The role of parents in autistic children’s emotion regulation]. Insight: Jurnal Pemikiran dan Penelitian Psikologi, 12(1), 39-56. https://doi.org/10.32528/ins.v12i1.328 | https://jurnal.unmuhjember.ac.id/jurnal.unmuhjember.ac.id/index.php/INSIGHT/article/view/328
Zeppieri, S. (2021). Dealing with an autism diagnosis: A complete guide for parents. Lulu.com Publisher. https://www.lulu.com/shop/susan-zeppieri/dealing-with-an-autism-diagnosis/ebook/product-55dm94.html?q=dealing+with+an+autism&page=1&pageSize=4
Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Rudolph, J., Kerin, J., & Bohadana-Brown, G. (2022). Parent emotional regulation: A meta-analytic review of its association with parenting and child adjustment. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 46(1), 63-82. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254211051086
Zhou, W., Liu, D., Xiong, X., & Xu, H. (2019). Emotional problems in mothers of autistic children and their correlation with socioeconomic status and the children’s core symptoms. Medicine, 98(32): e16794. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000016794
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Articles published in ANIMA are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. You are free to copy, transform, or redistribute articles for any lawful, non-commercial purpose in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to ANIMA and the original Author(s), link to the license, indicate if changes were made, and redistribute any derivative work under the same license.
Copyright on articles is retained by the respective Author(s), without restrictions. A non-exclusive license is granted to ANIMA to publish the article and identify itself as its original publisher, along with the commercial right to include the article in a hardcopy issue for sale to libraries and individuals.
By publishing in ANIMA, Author(s) grant any third party the right to use their article to the extent provided by the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.