Self-regulation is critical yet inconsistently defined across neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs). This preregistered (CRD42023350582), PRISMA-aligned overview of reviews aimed to (1) review and summarize definitions and models of self-regulation, (2) synthesize key self-regulation-related constructs and (3) identify common self-regulation measures in NDC populations. We searched Ovid Medline/PsycINFO/Embase, Web of Science-Core Collection and Cochrane Databases (inception to September 2024). We included 35 narrative, 2 scoping, 7 systematic and 3 meta-analytic peer-reviewed reviews of human studies on autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disability that addressed self-regulation across emotional, cognitive and behavioural domains. We found that, despite varied terminology, elevated dysregulation was consistently reported across the included reviews. Inductive content analysis of the included reviews identified core psychological constructs related to self-regulation and their developmental and environmental-contextual interplays; the findings converged into a domain-general, transdiagnostic self-regulation framework emphasizing interdependent integration of emotional, cognitive and behavioural processes across contexts. Finally, a meta-summary from 332 primary empirical studies from the included scoping, systematic and meta-analytic reviews (69 autism, 130 intellectual disability and 133 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) revealed measurement gaps with 521 identified measurements relying heavily on parent-report questionnaires. Risk of bias assessed through the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist revealed methodological heterogeneity. This overview of reviews offers guidance for aligning research, assessments and interventions with a domain-general, developmental understanding of self-regulation across NDCs.
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