Emotion regulation as a mediator between depressive symptoms and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adults with ASD and intellectual disabilities

Background: Depressive symptoms in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are common. Transdiagnostic factors as executive functions and emotional regulation strategies can explain the relationship between depressive symptoms and ASD. Method: 121 adults (M = 35.46 years, SD = 9.46) with ASD and intellectual disabilities (ID) were evaluated to determine the predictive and mediating role of executive functioning and emotional regulation strategies. Results: Transdiagnostic variables related to emotion regulation correlated with depressive symptoms; however, executive dysfunction was not associated with depression. Hierarchical linear regression showed emotional regulation strategies were a predictor of depression. A multiple mediation analysis also supported the mediating role of emotional regulation variables between ASD and depression. Conclusion: These findings suggest that emotional regulation (ER) strategies can play an important role in the genesis and development of depressive symptomatology in adults with ASD.