Can labeling your emotions help calm anxiety? For people with higher autistic traits, new research suggests the answer is yes. A study from Nagoya University found that while these individuals often feel more anxious in uncertain situations, the act of naming their emotions may serve as a powerful coping tool, lowering anxiety levels.
The Research
Researchers led by doctoral student Akitaka Fujii and associate professor Masahiro Hirai, from the Graduate School of Informatics at Nagoya University, surveyed 505 Japanese adults aged 20–39. Participants completed online questionnaires measuring autistic traits, intolerance of uncertainty, the tendency to label emotions, and anxiety levels.
Autistic traits were assessed using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a 50-item questionnaire covering social skills, attention shifting, communication, imagination, and attention to detail. The results, published in Scientific Reports, showed that people scoring higher on autistic traits also reported greater discomfort with uncertain or unpredictable situations—a tendency known as intolerance of uncertainty.
But here’s the key finding: Those who more often put their feelings into words tended to have lower anxiety levels, even when their discomfort with uncertainty was high. The authors suggest that labeling emotions acts as a “cognitive anchor,” transforming overwhelming, vague distress into a more structured and manageable feeling.
The study’s cross-sectional design means it can’t prove cause and effect, and because it didn’t involve clinically diagnosed autistic individuals, findings can’t be directly applied to that population. However, the Hirai Lab is conducting follow-up research with diagnosed adults.
Why It Matters
This research offers a practical insight: simply providing the right vocabulary for emotions could help people—especially those with neurodivergent tendencies—manage anxiety in daily life. For instance, a teacher or family member saying, “I think you might be feeling anxious about that,” could help someone who struggles to express distress. This kind of “emotional toolkit” could be integrated into classrooms and counseling settings to support emotional regulation.
What You Can Do
Whether or not you have high autistic traits, try this: When you feel anxious but aren’t sure why, spend a moment naming the emotion. Write it down or say it out loud—like “I feel anxious about the upcoming test.” Notice how the feeling becomes slightly less overwhelming once you’ve put words to it. This simple practice can help you understand and manage your emotions better.
Source: Neuroscience News
Curious about your own brain? Take our free adaptive IQ test or try 306 brain training levels.