Autism and Emotions: Humor to regulate emotions

AS: I have been working with emotions for many years—how we perceive, understand, and regulate them, and how these processes manifest in children, adolescents, and adults with different developmental profiles. The autism spectrum is particularly interesting in this context because it is so diverse. Emotions are often experienced differently, for example, more intensely or more muted, more physically, or with a time delay. At times, very unique ways of experiencing and expressing emotions develop. 

Many studies show that children, adolescents, and adults on the autism spectrum often have difficulties regulating emotions or recognizing their own feelings. Over the course of a lifetime, these challenges can contribute to increased stress, anxiety, depression, or even burnout—issues that affect many families and society as a whole. 

Our goal is therefore to better understand the underlying mechanisms from a resource-oriented and neurodiverse perspective and to share knowledge that truly helps. We want to highlight pathways that support children, adolescents, and adults—whether neurotypical or autistic—in gaining greater emotional security and living a life that does not have to be free of difficult emotions, but can be easier, more self-determined, and more fulfilling. 

AS: There are many different reasons. Emotion regulation is cognitively demanding, meaning that brain resources need to be available. Autistic brains sometimes filter information differently and have to process more sensory input. As a result, a strong emotion can quickly lead to complete overwhelm. Another important factor is that they do not always find it easy to recognize or categorize their own feelings. When you are not quite sure what is going on inside you, it is also harder to know how to respond in a helpful way—especially in already stressful situations. 

In addition, autistic people often have less access to helpful emotion regulation strategies over the course of their lives. Some may learn only a limited number of ways to cope with intense emotions—or to consciously strengthen positive emotions. Yet this is a crucial skill: knowing what is good for you, which activities trigger positive feelings, and how to deliberately integrate these into everyday life. 

In our work, it is important to us not to view these challenges as “deficits,” but to understand them from a neurodiverse perspective. Autistic people often feel and think differently—and this deserves recognition and respect. Our goal is not to “treat” these differences, but to support people in learning helpful strategies that can strengthen their emotional well-being. This also includes approaches from positive psychology, which show how to experience more joy, security, and self-efficacy in daily life. Furthermore, our research shows that autistic people, just like neurotypical individuals, can learn and apply helpful strategies when they are given the opportunity. 

AS: Humor can be a surprisingly effective resource in dealing with emotions. It not only helps defuse difficult situations or soften negative feelings, but can also be used intentionally to bring more lightness and positive emotions into everyday life. For autistic children, adolescents, and adults, humor may also be an accessible strategy for gaining distance, reducing stress, and achieving emotional stability. 

At the same time, research shows that humorous perspectives and smiling can help strengthen well-being and resilience. Humor is therefore not only an “antidote” to tension, but also a way to actively create positive experiences—something that is often lacking in daily life. 

Importantly, even though certain personality traits play a role, humor is not an innate ability that one either “has” or does not have. Many forms of humor can be encouraged, practiced, and discovered together—for example through playful exercises, unexpected perspective shifts, or sharing funny everyday situations. For some families, humor even becomes a shared language that fosters closeness and makes it easier to cope with challenging moments. 

In this sense, humor can be a valuable complement to other emotion regulation strategies—a tool that enables joy, connection, and relief. 

AS: An important message from our studies to parents of children with autism is: you are not alone. Many families are under great pressure and struggle in many different areas to find the right support for their child—whether on the path to diagnosis, in accessing support services, or in dealing with stigma and exclusion. At the same time, we see that many parents are incredibly committed and, despite many challenges, find ways to help their child live as self-determined and fulfilling a life as possible. 

In our research, we are particularly interested in resources that can help parents and children alike. These include emotion regulation strategies—both those that help manage difficult feelings and those that strengthen positive emotions—including humor. 

AS: The support of the Palatin Foundation means a great deal to us. It enables us to address scientific questions that have so far received little attention, yet are of great importance for understanding autism and emotional development. Together with Dr. Cristina Berchio who will work on the project, we will investigate the neural correlates of humor as an emotion regulation strategy. At the same time, this funding gives us the freedom to think in a resource-oriented way—that is, not only to look at challenges, but also to actively seek strengths, helpful strategies, and positive starting points. 

Thanks to this support, we can not only generate new knowledge but also develop concrete impulses for families: insights that help in everyday life, provide guidance, and perhaps offer a bit of relief. In this way, the Palatin Foundation helps bring research and practical support closer together—for the benefit of children, their parents, and the wider community.