Empowering caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder through sensor-based monitoring of emotional dysregulation: A scoping review

Objective: This paper critically reviews existing work in sensor-based emotional dysregulation monitoring to support caregivers of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: A systematic literature search was executed across six databases (Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, ACM Digital Library, Web of Science, and PubMed) covering publications from January 1, 2016, to September 30, 2025. Results: Thirty-two studies met inclusion criteria, comprising 27 focused on sensor-based emotional dysregulation detection and 5 addressing intervention or support mechanisms. These studies suggest that sensor-based technologies have potential for continuous physiological monitoring, facilitating early detection and intervention to support emotional dysregulation episodes. Critical deficiencies were identified in real-time alerting capabilities, autonomous intervention deployment, self-regulation framework integration, system reliability, long-term sustainability, user interface design, and cross-environment scalability. Conclusion: There is significant need to develop real-time emotion monitoring systems to empower caregivers in delivering timely, targeted interventions for individuals diagnosed with ASD. Future research should prioritise the development of real-time alert systems, autonomous intervention protocols, and solutions optimised for reliability, sustainability, usability, and adaptability across heterogeneous care settings. • Internet of Things (IoT) technologies enable continuous monitoring of emotional dysregulation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. • IoT-based systems can support caregivers through timely, real-time alerts. • Future research should focus on real-time alerting, autonomous intervention strategies, and solutions that are reliable, sustainable, user-centred, and adaptable across diverse care settings.