Coping, daily hassles and behavior and emotional problems in adolescents with high-functioning autism/Asperger's Disorder.
Teens with HFASD who avoid stress have more behavior and mood issues—swap avoidance for active coping skills.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team asked teens with high-functioning autism to fill out two short surveys. One survey listed daily hassles like losing homework or being left out. The other asked how they usually cope.
Parents and teachers also rated each teen’s behavior and mood. The study then looked at whether coping style matched later problems.
What they found
Teens who scored high on “disengagement coping” also scored high on behavior and emotional problems. Disengagement means they avoid, shut down, or ignore stress.
The link showed up no matter who reported the problems: teen, parent, or teacher.
How this fits with other research
Chen et al. (2024) later used phone check-ins and saw the same pattern in real time. Their teens felt more social anxiety when they coped poorly, extending this study into everyday life.
Hirvikoski et al. (2015) asked adults with ASD the same questions and found the same weak coping. This shows the habit does not fade with age.
Day et al. (2021) looked at camouflaging instead of disengagement. Both papers link self-protective but passive styles to worse internalizing symptoms, so the risk is broad.
Why it matters
You can spot disengagement quickly: the teen shrugs, says “whatever,” or walks away. When you see it, teach active coping like asking for help, deep breathing, or problem-solving steps. A brief role-play at lunch or between trials can replace avoidance with action.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Although daily hassles and coping are associated with behavior and emotional problems in non-clinical populations, few studies have investigated these relationships in individuals with high-functioning autism/Asperger's Disorder (HFASD). This study examined the relationships between daily hassles, coping and behavior and emotional problems in adolescents with HFASD. Thirty-one adolescents with HFASD completed questionnaires assessing their coping and behavior and emotional problems, and completed an Ecological Momentary Assessment run via a mobile phone application on their coping and daily hassles. Parents completed questionnaires of the adolescents' daily hassles, coping, and behavior and emotional problems. The disengagement coping style was associated with significantly higher levels of behavior and emotional problems regardless of respondent or methodology, suggesting it may be a valuable target for intervention.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014 · doi:10.1007/s10803-013-1912-x