Feasibility of an emotion regulation intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder: A brief report

•A parent-mediated intervention (RELACS) targeted emotion regulation in young children with autism spectrum disorder.•The intervention was implemented with high fidelity and was rated acceptable by parents.•Parents generally reported greater support for children’s emotions and reduced stress, and reduced child dysregulation.•Findings suggest parent-mediated RELACS is feasible, though more research is needed to establish its efficacy. Emotion regulation (ER) is key to young children’s school readiness and mental health. Many children with autism spectrum disorder exhibit emotionally dysregulated behavior, yet no interventions target this skill in the preschool years. This study examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a parent-mediated intervention to promote emotion regulation skills in preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants included five children (3–6 years old) and their mothers. The intervention, Regulation of Emotional Lability in Autism Spectrum Disorder through Caregiver Supports (RELACS) was delivered in participants’ homes over eight weeks. Preliminary results suggest RELACS is acceptable to parents, can be implemented with fidelity, and shows promise in improving parent support for children’s ER skills as well as children’s regulatory capacity. Results support the feasibility of using a parent-mediated approach to supporting ER skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Though RELACS shows promise in improving parent support for ER and children’s ER capacity, further research is necessary to establish its efficacy.