The Mandarin Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST): sex differences.
On the Mandarin CAST, boys score about one point higher than girls—plan for this normal gap when you interpret results.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave the Mandarin Childhood Autism Spectrum Test to school children in China.
They compared boys' and girls' scores to see if the Western boy-girl gap shows up in Chinese kids too.
What they found
Boys scored about one point higher than girls, matching the pattern seen in English-speaking samples.
The gap stayed even after checking for age and classroom.
How this fits with other research
Sun et al. (2014) used the same data to show the Mandarin CAST tracks two clear factors: social-communication and rigid behaviors.
Sun et al. (2013) already proved the test gives steady scores 2-4 months apart, so the sex gap is not just noise.
Sun et al. (2019) later found the same boy-girl split using a different Chinese tool (AQ-C), showing the gap is real across measures.
Why it matters
When you screen Mandarin-speaking children, expect boys to edge higher. Do not raise alarm over a single-point difference; it is part of normal variation. Use the same cut-off for both sexes, but note the slight male lift when you explain results to parents.
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Join Free →If a Chinese boy scores just above cut-off and a girl just below, remind the team that a one-point sex gap is expected before you decide on next steps.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Sex differences in social and communication behaviours related to autism spectrum conditions (ASC) have been investigated mainly in Western populations. Little research has been done in Chinese populations. This study explored sex differences related to ASC characteristics by examining differences in item responses and score distributions in relation to a screening instrument, the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST), used with Chinese children. A Mandarin Chinese version of the CAST (M-CAST) was distributed to 737 children aged 6-11 years in mainstream schools in Beijing. Questionnaires from 682 (93%) children were available for analysis. The median score for boys was higher than for girls [boys, median = 8 (IQR 6, 11); girls, median = 7 (IQR 4, 9); p < 0.001]. There were differences in the proportions of boys and girls across all three score groups (≤11, 12-14, ≥15) with more boys being found in the higher score groups (p = 0.035). This finding provides evidence that boys and girls have different social and communication development profiles, consistent with previous findings in Western cultures. These results suggest that sex differences related to ASC are consistent across cultures.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2088-8