Food as Regulation, Tantrum as Communication: An Integrated Behavioural-Sensory-Emotional Analysis of Obsessive Eating and Emotional Dysregulation in an Indonesian Adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This study investigates the interplay between food obsession, tantrum behaviour, and emotional dysregulation in a 19-year-old Indonesian male diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), through a three-day intensive structured observation. Data were collected using behavioural checklists, emotion intensity scales (5-point Likert format), food obsession inventories, field journals, caregiver interviews, and video documentation. Quantitative analysis revealed high consistency across observation days (Cronbach’s α = 0.92), with mean scores of 11.4 out of 15 for tantrum behaviours, 11.7 for emotional dysregulation, and 13.2 for food obsession. Tantrums were most frequently triggered by denial of preferred foods, particularly snacks, bread, and chocolate, and by disruptions to rigid routines. Notably, tantrum frequency dropped by 93 percent in structured learning environments (mean = 0.3 episodes per day) compared to unstructured home settings (mean = 4.2 episodes per day). The findings support a transactional model wherein food obsession functions as both a sensory-seeking behavior and a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy, exacerbated by inconsistent behavioural reinforcement in the home environment. Based on this integrative understanding, we propose a multi-component intervention framework combining Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), sensory integration therapy, and emotion regulation training. This case underscores the necessity of culturally responsive, individualized, and theoretically integrated approaches to managing complex behavioural challenges in adolescents with ASD in low-resource contexts such as Indonesia.